The Coming Chinese Storm
The Cipher Brief is engaging with dozens of Cipher Brief experts, government speakers and private industry executives this week on the national security challenges that […] More
Espionage
Brad Meltzer’s First Conspiracy
It’s not exactly his first conspiracy, but thriller writer Brad Meltzer’s new book, First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington, is the author’s […] More
If the U.S. Doesn’t Get China Right, Nothing Else Will Matter
General Michael Hayden, the co-host of The Cipher Brief’s Annual Threat Conference for the past two years, has famously said that the world has been […] More
Moscow’s History of Accusing Americans of Espionage
French philosopher Voltaire claimed that “if God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him.” The Kremlin, whenever it wishes to free a […] More
The Business Executive’s Guide to Retaliatory Arrests
Russia’s willingness to detain a U.S. citizen in apparent retaliation for the recent case against Russian citizen Marina Butina should serve as a warning to […] More
The Urgency of Resetting Relations With China
Bottom Line Up Front: The Trump Administration is confronting China on issues that have been developing for years and have percolated to the top of […] More
Putin’s Mad Soft Power Skills
OPINION — Russian President Vladimir Putin has managed to wage a global charm offensive, even while supporting a number of actions that have drawn world […] More
Talking with Bill Evanina About Threats, Spies and Social Media
Bill Evanina is the Director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) – a part of the U.S. Intelligence Community that leads and supports […] More
Putin’s Bold Attempt to Deny Skripal Attack
“The concept of plausible denial had an undeniable flavor of wishful thinking about it”, wrote CIA veteran William Hood in his book on Soviet military […] More
U.S. – Russia Summit Likely to Kick Spying Efforts into High Gear
As details are released about the upcoming summit between the U.S. and Russia, Intelligence Officers are expected to ramp up collection efforts in order to […] More
Catching a Chinese IP Thief: How the FBI Tracked and Caught Sinovel
Resentment, an insatiable appetite for women and an even larger appetite for cash are all elements that led to an insider threat that spelled a […] More
Preventing Zombie Intel Officers From Stealing Any Secrets They Can
A lot of people ask me if the spy game is as exciting as it is in the movies. While it is far tamer and less […] More
International Espionage on Campus
The idyllic American university campus conjures the image of a safe and open academic environment where students spend four or more years learning new ideas […] More
Protecting the Arsenal of Democracy from Insider Threat
Two summers ago, I made a $5 wager with my son that the United States would be exchanging shots in anger with China within five […] More
The Snowden Fact-Check
Three years ago, Edward Snowden’s leaks sent shockwaves through the U.S. intelligence services, disclosing information about surveillance programs and foreign intelligence operations and sparking a […] More
The Wages of Treason, Irresolution and Ingratitude
Amid ongoing debate over encrypted communications, hinging, as it does, on striking a balance between the need to defend America and the need to ensure […] More
Time for a New CIA?
Across the Central Intelligence Agency lobby from the iconic stars memorializing officers killed in the line of duty is a less well-known memorial. It is […] More
Espionage and Social Media
Social media use has skyrocketed in recent years and connected the world in ways unimaginable in the past. Families, friends, professionals, political movements, and corporations […] More