Inside the IC

Tim Brennan, VP of technology policy and government relations at the Professional Services Council, joins me to discuss the latest legislative proposals to help streamline the gargantuan security clearance process. One of the priorities for PSC's members, which includes many cleared contractors, is developing a bigger bench of people with security clearances. "We are fishing in such a small pond right now with folks that are cleared and then have the expertise to do that cleared work that I'm a little nervous about it," Tim told me. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this discussion, guests David Gauthier, Ellen McCarthy, Chip Usher, and Eliot Jardines—experts in open-source intelligence (OSINT)—examine the complexities of integrating OSINT into the intelligence community. Gauthier advocates for a dedicated open-source agency to enhance decision-making. McCarthy shares insights on evolving OSINT practices and the importance of trained analysts. Usher highlights real-world examples showcasing OSINT's value, while Jardines discusses the need for professional standards. The panel debates operational challenges and the future of OSINT in a digitized intelligence landscape.

The widespread layoffs and resignations unfolding across the federal government represent a prime opportunity for foreign spy agencies. In an April bulletin, the National Counterintelligence and Security Center warned that foreign intelligence organizations are targeting current and former U.S. government employees by posing as consulting firms, corporate headhunters and other job opportunities. Max Lesser, a senior analyst on emerging threats for the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, recently uncovered a likely Chinese intelligence operation that targets laid off federal employees using fake consulting firms. I spoke with Max about how he investigated the operation and what feds, current and former, should look out for when they’re scrolling LinkedIn and online job boards. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cortney Weinbaum, a Senior management scientist at RAND, dives into ethics in intelligence work, arguing for a standard of proper tradecraft, especially as AI becomes prevalent. She links historical intelligence failures to inadequate tradecraft and emphasizes the need for officers to grasp the limitations of the technology they use. Cortney critiques existing compliance models and advocates for a more ethical approach through psychological safety and peer mentoring, all while navigating the complexities of politicization in intelligence.

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. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.