The Cipher Brief

THE OPEN SOURCE REPORT for Tuesday, December 10, 2024 IS OUT. Here are today's leading headlines. 1. Israel strikes Syrian military sites 2. Zelensky is open to Western troops providing security for an end to war in Ukraine 3. The world won't wait: Trump's foreign policy takeover begins, from Syria to Ukraine 4. In Georgia Protests, Echoes of Ukraine’s Past Revolutions 5. Iran Suffers Blow of ‘Historic Proportions’ with Assad’s Fall Find out more about what is going on in the world.

TOMORROW! THE 2024 WINTER SUMMIT. The Agenda is out now. Join a virtual Cyber Masterclass this Wednesday, December 11th from 12p – 4p ET. Welcoming CISA Director Jen Easterly, FBI’s Cynthia Kaiser, PDAS Jennifer Bachus, Assistant DHS Secretary Iranga Kahangama and CIG Principals Matt Hayden, Mark Montgomery, Andrew Boyd, Lt. Gen. Charlie Moore (Ret.), Gary Corn and Teresa Shea debriefs us on her conversation with cyber legend Dan Geer. Save your seat now. #TheCipherBrief Visit the link in our bio to find out more about the Cyber Initiatives Group 2024 Winter Summit.

Post-Assad Syria: ‘Now Comes the Hard Part’ Ambassador Gary Grappo, in today's Cipher Brief, says "The U.S. and moderate nations in the Middle East "have been handed an extraordinary opportunity. There’s an opportunity to move Syria into the camp of moderate Arab states, which is what we should strive for. I think it would be a little naive to try and foist a Jeffersonian democracy on a country that has absolutely no familiarity or history with democracy, but certainly a country that fosters stability within the country as well as in the region. And that should be our objective." Read the full piece exclusively in today's Cipher Brief https://lnkd.in/e-GgdYiU

Have you checked out the latest episode of the #CoverStoriesPodcast ?  Hear from Navajo Ranger Stanley Milton, Jr & what he wants you to know about UFOs in our latest episode. Listen here or wherever else you listen to podcasts. #TheCipherBrief

THE 2024 WINTER SUMMIT AGENDA IS NOW LIVE Join the Experts on Cyber this Wednesday, December 11th from 12p – 4p ET for an open gaggle on today’s most pressing cyber threats welcoming CIG Principals, Understanding CISA’s Top Priorities with #CISA Director Jen Easterly, Candid Conversations about whether it’s time for a National Offensive #Cyber Strategy and whether we should be enhancing public-private partnerships to operationalize disruption with greater collaboration. You’ll be hearing the latest on Cyber Threats from Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)’s Cynthia Kaiser, PDAS Jennifer Bachus, Assistant DHS Secretary Iranga Kahangama and CIG Principals Matt Hayden, Mark Montgomery, Andrew G. Boyd, Lt. Gen. Charlie Moore (Ret.), Gary Corn and Teresa Shea debriefs us on her conversation with cyber legend Dan Geer.   Save your seat and be the hero of your organization by inviting your colleagues to this incredible, free winter #TheCipherBrief CISA Alumni Group U.S. Department of Homeland Security U.S. Department of State Here's the Summit Agenda: https://lnkd.in/efp42WJN

DEEP DIVE — The protests and police crackdowns convulsing the nation of Georgia represent more than one more global conflict zone; they are also the latest frontline in Vladimir #Putin‘s efforts to extend #Russian influence, and reimpose #Moscow’s authority on nations that were once part of the Soviet Empire.  Many experts believe that what happens in #Georgia – much like what happens in #Ukraine – will go a long way to determining how far Putin‘s aggression can go.  #thecipherbrief  

From 2007 – 2012, the Pentagon secretly funded a small program called the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program tasked with investigating reports of military encounters with Unidentified Aerial Phenomena. In 2020, the Defense Department launched a new unit called the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force led by the U.S. Navy. And in 2022, the #Pentagon created the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office – meant to identify, track and better share information with Congress and the public about the events they could not explain and looking at those events through the lens of national security. But Navajo Ranger Stanley Milton, Jr. was way ahead of them in terms of tracking and sharing information he was gleaning during his three decades working as a law enforcement officer in the #Navajo Nation. So what does he want you to know about UFOs? #TheCipherBrief Listen here, or wherever else you listen to your podcasts. https://lnkd.in/g2FmXNBW

I spoke with Nick Thompson for The Cipher Brief about the threat to the vast, unseen backbone of global communications that runs along the seafloor — an important discussion as incidents of damage to undersea cables and other subsea infrastructure are on the rise.

Access exclusive content and analysis within the national security world. Join The Cipher Brief’s Subscriber+ community! Visit our website using the link in our bio to become a member. #TheCipherBrief

This is such an excellent post from Jeremy Hitchcock because he’s hitting on so many opportunities here to bring skilled professionals into the start up fold who have excellent knowledge of the gaps that exist in government. Nearly every national security professional I talk to - and there are a lot of them - agrees that it is the private sector leadership and innovation that will ensure future national security, supported by government. No longer the other way around. Excellent leadership on this issue Jeremy! New North Ventures Stephanie Usry Bellistri Brad Christian The Cipher Brief