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The Cipher Brief: National Security news, analysis and expert commentary.

The Kremlin Files: Russia, the Modern Surveillance State

A closer look at the use of surveillance by Russia's intelligence services

The Kremlin Files: Russia, the Modern Surveillance State

EXPERT OPINION / PERSPECTIVE — Ask any Russian intelligence officer about “naruzhka,” and you’ll see them nod knowingly. It’s the term for physical, [...] More

RussiaEuropeIntelligence
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The Open Source Report

Iranians gather while blocking a street during a protest in Kermanshah, Iran on January 8, 2026. The nationwide protests started in Tehran's Grand Bazaar against the failing economic policies in late December, which spread to universities and other cities, and included economic slogans, to political and anti-government ones.

Global Intelligence Report for Friday, January 9, 2026

Protests Continue in Tehran Amid Ongoing Internet Blackout in Tehran and other Cities

U.S. Senate Advances Measure to Limit Trump’s Military Action on Venezuela

Russia Confirms Use of Nuclear-Capable Missile in Ukraine

Macron accuses U.S. of breaching international law, turning from allies

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Expert Insights

Cipher Brief Experts bring context to today’s global events

Agentic AI and the “Human-in-the-Loop” Luxury in Modern Defense

Joey Gagnard

THE IRON TRIANGLE — Welcome to the inaugural edition of “The Iron Triangle”, my new Cipher Brief column that serves the three pillars of modern defense: Procurement Officers tasked with buying the future, Investors who [...] More

Joey GagnardTech/Cyber

Iran’s Supreme Leader Should Listen to the People

Ambassador Joseph DeTrani

EXPERT OPINION — The Iranian people are saying they want new leadership. And it’s not too hard to understand why so many merchants, university students and young people in Iran are on the streets calling for political [...] More

IranAmbassador Joseph DeTraniMiddle East
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News & Analysis

The U.S. Says it Will “Run” Venezuela. What Will That Mean?

The U.S. Says it Will “Run” Venezuela. What Will That Mean?

DEEP DIVE – As audacious and complex as it was for the U.S. to extract Nicolas Maduro from Venezuela – and to do so without a single U.S. casualty – [...] More

AmericasLatin America

Opinion

Building U.S. Drone Dominance Brick by Brick

Phil Waymon, Master Sergeant (Ret.)

Building U.S. Drone Dominance Brick by Brick

OPINION — One of the things I loved about LEGO as a child was the ability to mix and match an endless amount of parts to create unique builds. [...] More

Alternative PerspectivesTech/Cybermilitary

What’s on The Cipher Brief’s Digital Channel

Tapping a China Vibe in South Koreaplay icon

Tapping a China Vibe in South Korea

The Open Source Report

Book Reviews

The Spy Who Came in Because He Wanted a Divorce
The Spy Who Came in Because He Wanted a Divorce

Cold War, Hot Zone: Inside the New Arctic Rivalry
Cold War, Hot Zone: Inside the New Arctic Rivalry

The Global Shadow War Behind the Cold War
The Global Shadow War Behind the Cold War

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The Best National Security Gossip

ALL BOXED IN: For years, the idea of hiding missiles and bombs inside shipping containers lived somewhere between defense-conference hypotheticals and thriller novels and movies. Tom Clancy’s “The Sum of All Fears” comes to mind. Now, according to a new War on the Rocks analysis, some of those fears are growing. U.S. planners are said to be treating containerized missile systems less like sci-fi and more like a near-term operational headache — especially in any conflict involving China. Yes, navies have used merchant ships for surprise before — this is an old trick with new packaging. But what’s changed is scale and [...] More

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Events

Live Events

The Cipher Brief 2026 HONORS Awards

The Cipher Brief 2026 HONORS Awards

Join us for the third annual Cipher Brief Honors Dinner, the evening of March 13, 2026. This Black-Tie event is invite only, please apply here for a [...] More

Upcoming: 13 March, 2026

Podcasts

State Secrets

Cipher Brief CEO & Publisher Suzanne Kelly sits down with Executive Producer Sebastian Junger to talk about the Netflix documentary ‘Marines’ and whether today’s fighting force is the one we need in today’s threat environment.

Cover Stories: Spies, Books & Entertainment


David McCloskey, former CIA Analyst turned novelist is out with his fourth book, The Persian, about an Iranian dentist who is recruited by Mossad to take on a dangerous mission inside Iran. Cover Stories Host Suzanne Kelly digs in on how McCloskey’s real-life Intelligence background fueled his latest novel, and discovers a few of McCloskey’s own secrets along the way.