The Cipher Brief

When a Charismatic and a Machiavellian Meet

As Presidents Trump and Xi prepare to meet in Beijing, two experts examine the psychology, power instincts, and risks shaping one of the world’s most consequential relationships.

U.S. Donald Trump Meets With China's President Xi In South Korea

ANALYSIS -- President Trump will visit Beijing later this month for the first time in almost a decade. As a former CIA clinical psychologist, I have [...] More

The Open Source Report

Expert Insights

Cipher Brief Experts bring context to today’s global events

That Other Nuclear Nightmare: North Korea Sounds New Alarms

DEEP DIVE – As the U.S. grapples with the still-unsolved problem of Iran’s nuclear program, another American adversary is expanding its nuclear [...] More

Woman speaking at podium with Mexican seal, flag, and artwork in background.

CIA Deaths Expose Fragile U.S.-Mexico Security Ties

Around two o’clock in the morning of April 19, an SUV veered off a twisting dirt road in a remote corner of the Sierra Madre, plunged into a ravine [...] More

Silhouette of towers against a vibrant orange sunset sky.

From Chernobyl to Ukraine: The Enduring Cost of Kremlin Lies

In April 1986, a reactor exploded at Chernobyl and the Soviet Union lied about it. That instinct to conceal, distort, and deny did not just worsen [...] More

The Pakistani General Running Washington’s Backchannel to Tehran

The Pakistani General Running Washington’s Backchannel to Tehran

OPINION -- As Washington and Tehran edge closer to escalation, the most critical line of communication keeping the crisis from spiraling is being run [...] More

What’s on The Cipher Brief’s Digital Channel

MANHOLE COVER STORY: A Russian cargo ship called the Ursa Major sank off the coast of Spain in December 2024 under circumstances that were, until recently, as murky as the 8,000 feet of Mediterranean water now covering it. A just published CNN investigation has filled in some of the blanks. The ship's official paperwork claimed it was carrying industrial equipment and two manhole covers. According to CNN, Spanish authorities learned, however, from the ship's captain that the vessel may have been carrying components for two nuclear submarine reactors - possibly destined for North Korea. The story is especially sensitive [...] More

Get The Drop

Events

Live Events

Podcasts

State Secrets

Jennifer Ewbank dives deep into how algorithmic manipulation and AI are reshaping the battlefield of information.

As threats evolve, our understanding of them must too. The convergence of technology and tactics is unprecedented, and it's vital to recognize the implications of this industrialized production of misinformation.

The developments in AI could be a game-changer, enabling us to identify synthetic media at scale, offering a way to counter this threat without censorship.

Is this the moment we redefine our approach to misinformation?