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When AI Finds a Software Flaw, Who Decides When the Affected Vendor Is Told?
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Evolving Nature of Terrorism since the September 11 Attacks: al-Qaeda and ISIS Affiliates
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Folly, Persuasion, and Deceit: Artificial Intelligence and the Coming Crisis of Overconfidence in Strategic Nuclear Affairs
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The Contested LEO Battlespace: The Fight for Connectivity, Control, and Decision Advantage
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APT Profile: APT44
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Promoting Evidence-based Policy and Good Governance

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OPI-ROCCA, NextGen

Sep 16 , 2026

Projects

Governing the Breach: Cyber Crisis Response in Germany and the United States

Introduction In December 2024, a cyberattack against the U.S. Department of the Treasury did not begin inside the Treasury. A Chinese state-sponsored actor gained access through a compromised third-party cybersecurity provider. The incident exposed a fundamental problem of modern cyber governance: governments are increasingly responsible for protecting digital infrastructure they

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Cybersecurity, Technology

Sep 14 , 2026

Op-Ed

When AI Finds a Software Flaw, Who Decides When the Affected Vendor Is Told?

In July 2026, the Trump Administration announced GOLD EAGLE, a new federal clearinghouse with the goal of improving cybersecurity vulnerability coordination, using artificial intelligence (AI) to identify software flaws and speed up the time it takes to fix them. While a commendable and necessary effort, the current public details on

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Defense & Security, Terrorism & Extremism, Africa, Middle East

Sep 8 , 2026

Policy Brief

Evolving Nature of Terrorism since the September 11 Attacks: al-Qaeda and ISIS Affiliates

The terrorism threat landscape has changed substantially since September 11, 2001. Over the last quarter of a century, counterterrorism efforts disrupted terrorist networks and decapitate several senior leaders, including the founder of al Qaeda, Usama bin Laden, and his successors, as well as ISIS leadership. Despite al Qaeda being pushed

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Defense & Security, Technology

Sep 5 , 2026

Policy Brief

Folly, Persuasion, and Deceit: Artificial Intelligence and the Coming Crisis of Overconfidence in Strategic Nuclear Affairs

Introduction Artificial intelligence (AI) is seeping steadily into strategic nuclear affairs. In 2018, a RAND Corporation study reasoned that by 2040, an AI could advise humans on matters of escalation without connecting directly to nuclear launchers, based on the progress AI is making in “increasingly complex and poorly specified tasks.”[1]

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Data Privacy & Governance Hub

Sep 3 , 2026

Projects

Utah Law Strengthens Student Privacy Protections for Educational Technology

Key Takeaways Researchers at Brigham Young University (BYU) reported that some educational technology (EdTech) applications used in Utah K-12 schools collected and shared student data in ways that violated privacy agreements. Utah House Bill 55, which took effect on July 1, 2026, increased privacy requirements for EdTech vendors by allowing

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Defense & Security, Technology, Europe & Central Asia

Sep 1 , 2026

Policy Brief

The Contested LEO Battlespace: The Fight for Connectivity, Control, and Decision Advantage

The war in Ukraine is exposing a fundamental change in modern conflict. Low Earth orbit (LEO) constellations are no longer simply a supporting layer that provides communications, imagery, navigation, and data to forces fighting below. It is becoming part of the battlespace itself, not necessarily because satellites are being destroyed

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OPI-ROCCA

Aug 25 , 2026

Projects

APT Profile: APT44

Country of Origin Russia Threat Actor Type State-sponsored Other Names Sandworm, GRU Unit 74455, Seashell Blizzard, FROZENBARENTS, Iron Viking, Telebots, Voodoo Bear Year Identified 2014 Major Target Countries & Entities Ukraine, Poland, United States, South Korea, multinational corporations Profile Summary APT44 is a Russian state-sponsored cyber threat actor that operates

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Defense & Security, Middle East

Aug 20 , 2026

Op-Ed

Beyond the Strait of Hormuz: Alternatives and Diversification as a Strategy for Trade Corridor Resilience

As both the U.S. and Iran have climbed the escalation ladder, the Strait of Hormuz — and with it, international maritime trade and energy markets — has been subjected to a consequential chokehold. As the U.S. conducts strikes on major infrastructural sites, weapons depots, and Iranian political leadership, one of

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Latest Research

china iran war

Defense & Security, Indo – Pacific, Middle East, South Asia

Apr 6 , 2026

Policy Brief

China and the War In Iran, High Risk for Marginal Opportunities

China has worked to build a diplomatic position in the Middle East, cultivating an image as a non-interventionist power that can be everyone’s friend and no one’s enemy. However, when the drums of war began to sound over the Strait of Hormuz, China found itself exposed to a conflict it

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tda

Crime & Justice, Transnational Crime, Americas, OPI-TCP

Mar 17 , 2026

Policy Brief

Tren de Aragua – Background and Transnational Challenge

Editor’s Note: This policy brief is Part III of an Orion Policy Institute (OPI) Transnational Crime Project (OPI-TCP) series and culminating report examining Venezuela’s transnational criminal networks, their regional security implications, and the evolving U.S. policy response. Introduction The rapid expansion of Tren de Aragua (TdA) from a Venezuelan prison

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Defense & Security, Middle East

Mar 7 , 2026

Policy Brief

The Iran War and Ankara’s Three Strategic Scenarios

The Iran war puts Turkey in a peculiar position, posing several challenges. Since the beginning of the US and Israel’s military confrontation with Iran, Turkey has adopted cautious neutrality, which aimed to avoid the escalation of tensions with either side of the conflict. However, the question is how sustainable Ankara’s

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venezeula gangs

Crime & Justice, Transnational Crime, Americas, OPI-TCP

Feb 23 , 2026

Policy Brief

Understanding the Structure and Resilience of Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles

Editor’s Note: This policy brief is Part II of an Orion Policy Institute (OPI) Transnational Crime Project (OPI-TCP) series and culminating report examining Venezuela’s transnational criminal networks, their regional security implications, and the evolving U.S. policy response. In November 2025, the United States designated the Cartel de los Soles (CDS)

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Defense & Security, Americas

Feb 12 , 2026

Policy Brief

A Moment of Strategic Choice: U.S. Policy in a Post-Maduro Hemisphere

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The capture of Nicolás Maduro on January 3, 2026 marks a strategic inflection point for the United States and the first real stress test of the 2025 National Security Strategy (NSS) in the Western Hemisphere. More than the apprehension of a leader, Maduro’s removal forces Washington to reconcile competing strategic

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venezuelan soldiers

Crime & Justice, Transnational Crime, Americas, OPI-TCP

Feb 4 , 2026

Policy Brief

Venezuela’s Hybrid Criminal Networks and U.S. Regional Strategy

Editor’s Note: This policy brief is Part I of an Orion Policy Institute (OPI) Transnational Crime Project (OPI-TCP) series and culminating report examining Venezuela’s transnational criminal networks, their regional security implications, and the evolving U.S. policy response. For years, U.S. policy toward Venezuela has fluctuated between sanctions, diplomacy, and public

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