Defense and Security | Council on Foreign Relations

Cybersecurity

Cyber Week in Review: May 13, 2022

Costa Rica declares emergency after ransomware attack; U.S. sanctions cryptocurrency mixer; U.K. sanctions Russian chip makers; China aims to remove U.S. computers from government; Clearview AI stops sales to private sectors.

Blog Post by Adam Segal May 13, 2022 Net Politics
United States

U.S.-Russia Nuclear Arms Control

The nuclear arms race was perhaps the most alarming feature of the Cold War competition between the United States and Soviet Union. Over the decades, the two sides signed various arms control agreements as a means to manage their rivalry and limit the risk of nuclear war. However, deep fissures have reemerged in the U.S.-Russia relationship in recent years, raising once again the specter of a nuclear arms race.

Timeline by Jonathan Masters and Sabine Baumgartner May 10, 2022
Middle East and North Africa

The Middle East’s Reaction to the Invasion of Ukraine, With Steven A. Cook

Steven A. Cook, CFR’s Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies and director of the International Affairs Fellowship for Tenured International Relations Scholars, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how countries throughout the Middle East are responding to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Podcast with James M. Lindsay and Steven A. Cook May 10, 2022 The President’s Inbox

Nigeria

Nigeria Security Tracker Weekly Update: April 30-May 6

This update represents violence in Nigeria and related to Boko Haram in Cameroon, Chad, and Niger from April 30 to May 6, 2022.

Blog Post by Michelle Gavin May 9, 2022 Africa in Transition
Cybersecurity

Cyber Week in Review: May 6, 2022

Spyware found on Spanish PM's phone; U.S. says China is amplifying Russian disinformation; FBI searches of American's data have doubled; U.S. may sanction Hikvision; Cyber Command completed nine hunt forward operations in 2022.

Blog Post by Adam Segal May 6, 2022 Net Politics
Technology and Innovation

Virtual Roundtable: State-Sponsored Disinformation

Russia has made a concerted effort to discredit Western vaccines, while simultaneously promoting its own Sputnik V vaccine by paying influencers and creating misleading articles. China has also amplified disinformation aimed at sowing doubts about Western coronavirus vaccines and other countries’ response to the virus. These digital threats have real-world implications. The barrage of COVID-related disinformation has eroded trust in public health officials and vaccinations, and dramatically curtailed our ability to respond to both current and future pandemics. Steven Wilson, Assistant Professor of Politics, Brandeis University and Graham Brookie, Senior Director of the Digital Forensic Research Lab, Atlantic Council discuss how the United States improve its information security and combat malicious state-sponsored narratives in a roundtable discussion moderated by Jennifer Nuzzo.

Webinar by Graham Brookie, Steven Lloyd Wilson and Jennifer Nuzzo May 5, 2022 Global Health Program

El Salvador

Why Has Gang Violence Spiked in El Salvador?

El Salvador’s homicide rate plummeted in recent years, but a spate of killings has drawn attention to President Nayib Bukele’s controversial approach to tackling gang violence.

In Brief by Diana Roy May 4, 2022
Nigeria

Nigeria Security Tracker Weekly Update: April 23-29

This update represents violence in Nigeria and related to Boko Haram in Cameroon, Chad, and Niger from April 23 to April 29, 2022.

Blog Post by Michelle Gavin May 2, 2022 Africa in Transition
Cybersecurity

Cyber Week in Review: April 29, 2022

Musk buys Twitter; EU nears passage of Digital Services Act; Chinese chipmaker may have breached U.S. export controls; North Korea hacks journalists; Biden calls for new internet rules.

Blog Post by Adam Segal April 29, 2022 Net Politics
Economics

Federal Reserve Committee Convenes, U.S. Leads UN Security Council, and More

The U.S. Federal Reserve is poised to raise interest rates, the United States assumes the presidency of the UN Security Council, and Japan marks Constitution Memorial Day as the country makes changes to its defense and security policy.

Podcast with James M. Lindsay and Robert McMahon April 28, 2022 The World Next Week
Democratic Republic of Congo

The EAC’s Challenges in Eastern Congo

As the DRC becomes the newest member of the East African Community, the regional organization confronts multiple challenges in its effort to tackle insecurity in eastern Congo.

Blog Post by Michelle Gavin April 26, 2022 Africa in Transition
Wars and Conflict

Africa’s Reaction to the Russian Invasion of Ukraine, With Ebenezer Obadare

Ebenezer Obadare, Douglas Dillon senior fellow for Africa studies at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss how African countries are responding to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Podcast with James M. Lindsay and Ebenezer Obadare April 26, 2022 The President’s Inbox
Cybersecurity

The Perils and Promise of America’s Older Cyber Regulatory Regime

Outdated digital policy in the United States has long been cited as a point of failure. Hacking laws need updating, but broad protections and better implementation of the law can improve U.S. cybersecurity policy.

Blog Post by Jessie Miller April 25, 2022 Net Politics
Nigeria

Nigeria Security Tracker Weekly Update: April 16-22

This update represents violence in Nigeria and related to Boko Haram in Cameroon, Chad, and Niger from April 16 to April 22, 2022.

Blog Post by Michelle Gavin April 25, 2022 Africa in Transition
Cybersecurity

Cyber Week in Review: April 22, 2022

Pegasus spyware detected in PM Boris Johnson's office; Spyware targets Catalan separatists; NATO to conduct Locked Shields exercise; Lazarus Group steals $600 million in cryptocurrency; REvil returns.

Blog Post by Adam Segal April 22, 2022 Net Politics