Ideas

Let Russia's Planes Keep Flying Over US, Just Like Ike Wanted

The Pentagon dithered while Moscow upgraded. It’s time to catch up — not scrap the Open Skies Treaty.

Ideas

When It Comes to Tech and Terrorism, the Government Is Asking for the Wrong Kind of Help

There are many ways the tech industry can help turn up the heat on terrorists without compromising the rest of us.

Business

Obama's Security Clearance Overhaul Lands with a Thud Before Lawmakers

The plan, which tasks the Pentagon with safeguarding new investigations, appears to just be 'window dressing on a broken home.'

Science & Tech

The FBI's War on Phones Is Bigger Than You Think

Apple’s lawyers revealed the feds want access to about a dozen devices after San Bernardino.

Science & Tech

FBI to Apple: It's About Justice, Not Precedent

Despite growing pressure from the Justice Department, the tech company still refuses to unlock one of the San Bernardino shooters' iPhone for authorities any time soon.

Science & Tech

The NSA's Terrorist-Hunting Computer for Pakistan May Have Targeted Innocents

A new report suggests that the agency has been using a machine-learning program to identify potential terrorists, but thousands of Pakistanis may have been mislabeled.

Science & Tech

The Big Budget Crunch Awaiting America's Spies

The U.S. intelligence community overall budget may rise in the months ahead, but spending on information technology will not, a new report says.

Policy

Spy on Me All You Like, More Americans Say

A new poll shows more people are fine with increased national-security surveillance.

Ideas

Death of the GRU Commander

An American general remembers Russia's complex military intelligence chief, who shaped the Ukraine incursion — and worked hard to bridge the East-West gap.

Science & Tech

The Obama Administration’s Encryption Views Are All Over the Map

Some government officials are focused on catching criminals, while others worry about empowering hackers.

Science & Tech

Look Who's Worried About the NSA's 96 Percent Retention Rate

It might seem counterintuitive that someone maintaining a workforce of 30,000 coders and analysts is concerned about too much loyal talent.

Ideas

The Intelligence Community Must Remove Barriers to Minority Recruitment

National security demands a more diverse workforce to understand the world, but several things stand in the way.

Business

After OPM Hack, Security-Clearance Requests Will Run Through the Pentagon

The White House directive comes as the OPM shifts its background investigations to a newly-created National Background Investigations Bureau.

Science & Tech

Why Amazon's Data Centers Are Hidden in US Spy Country

You'll need to go back to where a lot of significant moments in Internet history took place: the Cold War.

Science & Tech

US Intel Community Taps Encryption-Busting Tech Firm for Digital Spying

The venture capital arm of the CIA is buying in to a Canadian company that says it can access certain encrypted technologies.

Threats

The Number of Foreign Fighters in Iraq and Syria Has Doubled

A study says up to 31,000 people from 80-plus countries have joined the Islamic State and other extremist groups.

Science & Tech

Kazakhstan's New Encryption Law Could Be a Preview of US Policy

The Central Asian country will require 'back doors' that will allow the government to surveil and censor Internet traffic.

Threats

Obama's Dog Whistle on Encryption

By linking encryption with terrorism, the president seemed to hint at a policy shift.

Ideas

Give Thanks for the OSS

As today’s security depends increasingly on intelligence and special operators, Congress should act to honor those who paved their way.

Policy

Intelligence Whistleblowers Need More Protection, Advocate Group Argues

A new report criticizes the White House for its heavy use of the 1917 Espionage Act amid complaints of retaliation against whistleblowers in the Defense and Justice Departments.