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

What Iran Is Learning from Russia’s War and Why the U.S. Should Be Concerned

Rather than deterring Tehran, Moscow’s wartime adaptation could be shaping a more capable and durable Iranian regime.

Iranian president meets with Putin, discusses ways to boost cooperation in all sectors

KREMLIN FILES/COLUMN: The war in Ukraine is often framed by optimistic academics, and some policymakers as a cautionary tale—an example of how [...] More

Middle EastIran
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The Open Source Report

UNITED STATES - APRIL 12: Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., is seen in the U.S. Capitol before the House reauthorized Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) on Friday, April 12, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Global Intelligence Report for Friday, April 17, 2026

House Extends FISA Section 702 for 10 Days as GOP Divisions Stall Long-Term Renewal

A 10-day Ceasefire in Lebanon Goes Into Effect

White House Weighs Access to Controversial Anthropic AI Model

U.S. to Create High-Tech Manufacturing Zone in Philippines


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Expert Insights

Cipher Brief Experts bring context to today’s global events

An FBI Perspective on FISA Section 702

Cynthia Kaiser

OPINION – I spent twenty years at the FBI supporting investigations into cybercrime, tracking ransomware gangs, and watching foreign adversaries tear through American networks. I've sat across the table from hospital [...] More

AmericasNorth AmericaUnited States

Why Greenland is the Linchpin of the Golden Dome

Paul Miller

OPINION – When President Trump first proposed the purchase of Greenland, the world’s reaction leaned toward mockery. But as the strategic landscape of the 2020s shifts from traditional ground wars to a high-stakes Arctic [...] More

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News & Analysis

Drones Spotted Being Used Illegally

Is the U.S. lagging when it comes to drone warfare superiority?

When Iranian Shahed drones began tearing through the Gulf in the opening hours of Operation Epic Fury on February 28, killing American service [...] More

Tech/Cyber

Opinion

Copy of Trump’s Cyber Strategy Is a Strong Playbook, but It’s All in the Execution

Zachary Shaw

Copy of Trump’s Cyber Strategy Is a Strong Playbook, but It’s All in the Execution

OPINION — The White House is making a significant effort toward putting the nation’s cyber house in order. A newly released National Cyber Strategy [...] More

CyberAlternative Perspectives

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Book Reviews

Allies In War, Partners In Peace
Allies In War, Partners In Peace

Putin's Dangerous, Corrupt, and Often Incompetent Spies
Putin's Dangerous, Corrupt, and Often Incompetent Spies

Finally, a Taiwan Strategy That Goes Beyond "Do Something"
Finally, a Taiwan Strategy That Goes Beyond "Do Something"

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The Best National Security Gossip

OWL BE DARNED — CUBA'S 40-YEAR ASSET FINALLY SPILLS HIS SECRETS: The FBI's "Inside the FBI" podcast dropped a new episode this week marking the two-year anniversary of former U.S. Ambassador Víctor Manuel Rocha's sentencing, and the details are as rich as his handler's access to Havana's best cigars. Rocha, who spent four decades spying for Cuba under the codename BÚHO (Spanish for "owl") turns out to have chosen the State Department as his institutional home for a very practical reason: it didn't use polygraphs. Wise old bird. Recruited in Chile in 1973 by a Cuban DGI officer who'd just rotated back from the Angolan war, [...] More

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Events

Live Events

2026 Threat Conference

2026 Threat Conference

The Cipher Brief Threat Conference is the nation’s premier forum for non-partisan discussion of global threats and solutions as well as high-level [...] More

Upcoming: 25 October, 2026

Podcasts

State Secrets


In this episode of State Secrets, former CIA Senior Operations Officer Sean Wiswesser examines the evolution of Russian intelligence - from Soviet-era tradecraft to modern hybrid warfare. He unpacks Moscow’s strategic mindset, its transactional relationships with partners like Iran, and its enduring focus on weakening democratic systems. With insights drawn from decades in the field, Wiswesser explains what most people misunderstand about Russia - and why that matters now more than ever.