The United States needs a dedicated Department of Cyber Infrastructure—a centralized executive-level body focused solely on safeguarding the nation’s digital backbone. Much like DHS was created post-9/11 to unify disparate agencies under a counterterrorism mandate, today’s cyber threats—from ransomware to foreign supply chain attacks—demand a coordinated federal response. Our current approach is fragmented and inadequate for the pace, scale, and complexity of cyber-physical convergence. This post argues for a reimagined structure that treats digital infrastructure as strategic infrastructure—vital, vulnerable, and in need of federal stewardship. Read More…
Space is no longer “just” about satellites beaming weather pics or GPS timing. It’s a contested, surveilled battlespace where autonomous constellations, on‑orbit proximity ops, and dual‑use cyber/EW/kinetic tools shape deterrence, crisis stability, and escalation pathways. The same AI that optimizes space traffic can cue counterspace missions; the same cameras that map crops can quietly stalk satellites; and a glitch in orbit can ripple straight into nuclear C3 timelines. Policymakers need to build redundancy, attribution, and norms into orbital ops—before ambiguity becomes the spark. Read More…
In a hyper-connected world, we are not just observed—we are quantified. This blog post dissects the invisible architecture of ubiquitous technical surveillance (UTS), the erosion of privacy by design, and how our everyday interactions—both voluntary and coerced—fuel a vast ecosystem of data-driven control. From algorithmic profiling to emotional surveillance and counterterrorism’s moral gray zones, this piece interrogates the unsettling convergence of security, commerce, and control. Read More…
Authoritarian regimes have long viewed exiled dissidents as a threat—but in the digital era, this contest has gone transnational. Today’s exiles are not just passive victims of repression but strategic actors in global information warfare. Armed with smartphones and secure messaging apps, they amplify dissent, shape international opinion, and even provide actionable intelligence to foreign governments. But they also face mounting risks—malware, phishing, threats to family back home—as regimes extend their coercive power across borders. Drawing on cases from Iran, Syria, and beyond, this post examines the evolving dynamic of digital transnational repression and the emerging power of the digital diaspora. Read More…
Overclassification and rigid compartmentalization are suffocating innovation in the intelligence community. In an era where technological speed determines security relevance, our antiquated secrecy protocols increasingly serve as roadblocks, not safeguards. This piece analyzes how bureaucratic secrecy undermines agility, collaboration, and digital transformation—and argues for a recalibration of risk in how we handle classified knowledge. Read More…
