Épisodes

  • ‘Still work to be done’ on security clearance reform efforts

    ‘Still work to be done’ on security clearance reform efforts
    Jan 24 2025
    The Intelligence and National Security Alliance has a slate of recommendations for the incoming Trump administration. They touch on how the IC could make progress on hiring, personnel vetting (security clearances), AI skills and open source intelligence, among other areas. Inside the IC spoke with John Doyon, INSA's executive vice president, to dig into the suggestions ahead of the Jan. 20 transition of power. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    28 min
  • The intelligence community has a big new tech strategy

    The intelligence community has a big new tech strategy
    Jun 27 2024
    The intelligence community has laid out new priorities for the cloud, AI, cybersecurity and more in a new "Information Technology Roadmap" released in late May. The IC's Chief Information Officer, Adele Merritt, joined the show to explain the goals of the new strategy. "This roadmap really provides a unified vision for where the IC needs to go over the next five years," Merritt told me. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    28 min
  • The State Department has a new OSINT strategy

    The State Department has a new OSINT strategy
    May 28 2024
    On the heels of a new intelligence community-wide open-source intelligence strategy . . . the State Department now has its own OSINT strategy. The Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR) uses OSINT to inform U.S. diplomacy, a unique role in the intelligence community. And one of the big goals of the new strategy is to better serve U.S. diplomats across the world by generating more unclassified assessments. I spoke with Brett Holmgren, assistant secretary of state for intelligence and research, about the goals of the new strategy and what INR will be doing to better serve U.S. diplomats using OSINT. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    25 min
  • Inside the IC's new open source intelligence strategy

    Inside the IC's new open source intelligence strategy
    Apr 24 2024
    Leaders of top U.S. intelligence agencies have signed onto a plan to centralize and take better advantage of open source intelligence, or OSINT. The new OSINT strategy aims to make open-source an “the INT of first resort.” Those words, in the title of the strategy, are a tacit recognition that spy agencies have traditionally favored gaining intelligence from highly secretive sources – human intelligence, spy satellites, and electronic signals – rather than open-source data. I spoke with Jason Barrett, the open-source intelligence executive at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and Randy Nixon, the director of the open source enterprise within the CIA's Directorate of Digital Innovation, about the strategy's goals. They include centralizing OSINT data across the IC, cultivating a world-class OSINT workforce, and harnessing new AI and machine learning tools. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    36 min
  • The women leading at the NSA

    The women leading at the NSA
    Mar 13 2024
    Women make up about 40% of the intelligence community's workforce, a percentage that ranks behind both federal workforce and civilian labor benchmarks. That's according to the latest demographics report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. And women are even more underrepresented in the leadership ranks throughout the IC. But agencies aren't ignoring the issue. The National Security Agency's "Future Ready Workforce" initiative has already led to several changes that will likely make the NSA a more attractive employer for all employees, including women. And NSA leaders are also investing in education and other programs that encourage girls to get involved in STEM. I spoke with three women leaders at the NSA about the past, present and future for women at the agency. They are Morgan Adamski, chief of the NSA's Cybersecurity Collaboration Center; Kristina Walter, director of the NSA's Future Ready Workforce Initiative; and Tahira Mammen, acting director of the AI Security Center, which is housed within the Cybersecurity Collaboration Center. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    36 min
  • Goodbye SF-86? White House approves 'Personnel Vetting Questionnaire'

    Goodbye SF-86? White House approves 'Personnel Vetting Questionnaire'
    Feb 23 2024
    The Standard Form-86, a long-used questionnaire for government positions requiring security clearance, is set to be phased out after the White House Office of Management and Budget approved a new form replacing the SF-86 and several other legacy forms. I spoke with John Berry, a security clearance attorney at Berry and Berry PLLC law firm, about some of the big changes new "Personnel Vetting Questionnaire," including questions around marijuana use, mental health history, and foreign connections. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    23 min
  • DIA CIO on cybersecurity, zero trust and AI

    DIA CIO on cybersecurity, zero trust and AI
    Jan 26 2024
    The Defense Intelligence Agency runs the federal government's top-secret IT network. DIA is in the middle of a major modernization of that network. And in addition to running new routers and switches, DIA also wants to upgrade to more network automation and help lay the groundwork for the intelligence community to leverage AI. Cybersecurity is also essential, both to defend against outside hackers and prevent insider threats. For the latest, I spoke with DIA Chief Information Officer Doug Cossa. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    34 min
  • NGA looks to build on ‘neurodiversity’ hiring effort

    NGA looks to build on ‘neurodiversity’ hiring effort
    Jan 10 2024
    More than three years ago, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency launched a “neurodiversity” hiring pilot program. The idea was to make it easier to recruit individuals with differences in brain functioning, such as people with autism, who could contribute to the mission, but may have difficulty navigating the traditional hiring process and workplace environment. Now, NGA is looking to build off its initial pilot program with a broader effort. For the latest, I spoke with Jen King, a senior GEOINT analyst and program manager for the neurodiversity program at NGA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    21 min