Ideas
Trump’s New Spy Chief Worked for a Foreign Politician Accused by the US of Corruption
Richard Grenell did not disclose payments for advocacy work on behalf of a Moldovan politician whom the U.S. later accused of corruption. His own office’s policy says that could leave him vulnerable to blackmail.
Threats
New Counterintelligence Strategy to Boost Sharing on Cyber Threats
To be rolled out Monday, the strategy adds the private sector as a customer of the intelligence community.
Ideas
Why Does the US Spend So Much on Defense?
It is well to remember that the real bill includes not just DOD spending but VA, intelligence, and more. But those who would cut spending must also propose a new strategy.
Ideas
What US Intelligence Thought 2020 Would Look Like
A 2004 National Intelligence Council report was eerily prescient in some ways, and totally off in others.
Science & Tech
NSA, Army Seek Quantum Computers Less Prone to Error
Even ordinary computers flip a bit here and there, but their quantum cousins have a lot more ways to go wrong.
Ideas
The FBI Needs to Be Reformed
The inspector general’s report identified real weaknesses, particularly with the policies and procedures that govern investigations of political campaigns.
Ideas
GOP Lawmakers Used to Oppose Trump's Embrace of Russia. No More.
High-ranking Republicans are now defending the president with debunked claims that national security experts say play right into Putin's hands.
Science & Tech
Don’t Rush Quantum-Proof Encryption, Warns NSA Research Director
Quantum computers could crack the codes that secure the world’s digital information but racing to a solution could create more threats.
Science & Tech
Google Wants More Work from the Defense Department
A senior vice president ruled out working directly on weapons programs, but said other areas are fair game.
Ideas
The Intelligence Fallout From Trump’s Withdrawal in Syria
The chaotic withdrawal from Syria will severely weaken U.S. efforts in the country—and could also be a boost for Russia and Iran.
Ideas
To Fight Disinformation, Rethink Counterintelligence
For too long, the focus of U.S. counterintelligence has been safeguarding government secrets and corporate intellectual property.
Ideas
The Whistle-Blower Really Knows How to Write
As an intelligence report, the complaint against Trump holds up well. The author carefully explained where the information came from and left investigators a number of concrete leads.
Threats
White House Used Classified System to Hide Trump’s Phone Call: Whistleblower
The IC employee wrote that the July 25 call to Ukraine was not the only time documents had been improperly hidden in codeword-level systems.
Science & Tech
The Intel Community Wants to ID People from Hundreds of Yards Away
Face recognition alone isn't good enough, so a new IARPA program is looking to combine multiple biometric indicators to get good matches.
Ideas
Ep. 55: Doomsday machines, nuclear hurricanes and Russian spies, with Vince Houghton
An interview with the author of 'Nuking the Moon: And Other Intelligence Schemes and Military Plots Left on the Drawing Board.'
Ideas
After 9/11, US Intelligence Reinvented Itself. It's Time to Do It Again
After missing the Sept. 11 plot, spy agencies reoriented toward terrorism. Now technological threats require a new round of reforms.
Science & Tech
Pentagon, NSA Prepare to Train AI-Powered Cyber Defenses
The giant effort starts by trying to standardize data across the Defense Department's sprawling IT ecosystem.
Threats
China’s Spies Are on the Offensive. Can the US Fend Them Off?
Recent events suggest Beijing has increased both the scope and the sophistication of its efforts to steal American secrets.
Threats
The Biggest Winner Of the Japan-South Korea Dispute? China
The Pentagon is on edge after Seoul ends an intelligence-sharing agreement with Tokyo.
Ideas