The zero-day war? How cyber is reshaping the future of the most combustible conflicts

Issue Brief Mar 21, 2025

To win the AI race, the US needs an all-of-the-above energy strategy

By Joseph Webster

To ensure US AI leadership, the United States must harness all forms of energy, allow a level playing field, and remove red tape constraining the buildout of critical enablers, especially transmission lines and grid enhancing technologies.
Artificial Intelligence China
The zero-day war? How cyber is reshaping the future of the most combustible conflicts

MENASource Feb 26, 2025

How the Houthis’ strikes on US MQ-9 Reaper drones serve a wider regional agenda

By Leonardo Jacopo Maria Mazzucco

The United States needs to adjust its drone deployment strategy to ensure that MQ-9 Reapers are less vulnerable to the militant group’s attacks. 
Defense Policy Defense Technologies
The zero-day war? How cyber is reshaping the future of the most combustible conflicts

New Atlanticist Feb 18, 2025

What’s missing from the AI debate? Patience.

By Trey Herr

The AI sector is evolving quickly, fueled by a self-reinforcing cycle of investment, commentary, and ambition. In this race for compute, patience is important to sorting out sustainable innovation from speculative excess.
Artificial Intelligence Defense Technologies

Democracy & Tech Initiative

The DFRLab’s Democracy & Tech Initiative creates policy practices that align global stakeholders toward tech and governance that reinforces, rather than undermines, open societies. This initiative builds on the DFRLab’s leadership in the OSINT field, empowering global communities to promote transparency and accountability.

Explore the program

Content

Conflict, Risk, and Tech

Oct 28, 2019

The zero-day war? How cyber is reshaping the future of the most combustible conflicts

By Simon Handler

Conventional wisdom would suggest that scaled-up capabilities, growing competition, and the proliferation of malware across cyberspace presents a legitimate risk of escalation in state conflict, transcending the cyber domain toward the kinetic. However, recent history has shown that states have more often availed themselves of their offensive cyber arsenals to achieve surprisingly de-escalatory effects.

Cybersecurity Iran

New Atlanticist

Oct 23, 2019

Combating everyday falsehoods

By David A. Wemer

From false headlines about veteran benefit cuts to broad campaigns discrediting climate science, the spread of fake or misleading information online has disrupted democratic societies around the world.

Disinformation

New Atlanticist

Oct 23, 2019

Can Beijing export its manipulation of information?

By David A. Wemer

While censorship and propaganda have long been features of Chinese domestic politics, Beijing is ramping up its information operations abroad.

China Disinformation
AlertaVenezuela email banner

#AlertaVenezuela

Oct 22, 2019

#AlertaVenezuela: October 22, 2019

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

In September, Twitter suspended one of the most active accounts involved in the Maduro regime's ongoing operation to position pro-regime hashtags among the trending topics on the platform. The account @tuiteros_vzla, also known as Tuiteros Patriotas, primarily amplified the daily hashtags posted by the Venezuelan Ministry of Communications and offered monetary compensation to users who tweeted out the hashtags.

Disinformation Venezuela

New Atlanticist

Oct 18, 2019

Richard Stengel on disinformation and the threat to democracy

By Zarine Kharazian

Disinformation—both foreign and domestic—is a catalytic harm that acts to magnify existing societal vulnerabilities. Forging digital resilience is an urgent priority—because, as Stengel said, disinformation is “an attack on our very democracy. And Americans need to be aware of it.”

Disinformation Russia
Turkish flag with Twitter logo superimposed

MENASource

Oct 17, 2019

Digital Forensic Research Lab explores disinformation campaigns in the Middle East

By MENASource

Online information and disinformation has been playing a pivotal role in shaping public opinion throughout the Middle East and North Africa for over a decade. In the past week alone, Atlantic Council researchers with the Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab) have published four articles examining the origins of various MENA-based disinformation campaigns and the tell-tale […]

Disinformation Middle East

Press Release

Oct 16, 2019

StratComDC: Global Forum on Strategic Communications

By Atlantic Council

The Atlantic Council will host its third annual Global Forum on Strategic Communications (StratCom 2019) in Washington, DC on October 23-24, 2019.

Cybersecurity Disinformation

In the News

Oct 14, 2019

Manning in The National Interest: Will AI Cripple or Leapfrog Developing Nations’ Growth?

By Atlantic Council

International Markets Technology & Innovation

In the News

Oct 10, 2019

Hruby in Project Syndicate: Are traditional multinationals ready for emerging markets?

By Atlantic Council

Africa Economy & Business

New Atlanticist

Oct 9, 2019

How governments can use cyber tools irresponsibly to preserve power

By Safa Shahwan

The Kazakh case serves as an example of irresponsible cyber statecraft, when governments use cyberspace and technological tools to achieve specific political goals, placing the rights of citizens, as well as their political legitimacy, on the line.

Central Asia Cybersecurity
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Experts

Fellow

Evanna Hu

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Extremism Defense Technologies

Fellow

Qutaiba Idlbi

Resident Senior Fellow, Syria

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Economic Sanctions Entrepreneurship

Millennium fellow

Jessie Ilkson

Director, Government Affairs, General Atomics

Millennium Leadership Program

Defense Industry Defense Technologies

Fellow

Beniamino Irdi

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Disinformation English

Fellow

Vijeth Iyengar

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoTech Center

Technology & Innovation

Fellow

Arun Iyer

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Disinformation Economy & Business
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Events

Public Event Tue, May 20, 2025 • 11:30 am ET

Report launch: Confronting Russia’s cyber power
Cybersecurity Digital Policy Europe & Eurasia Infrastructure Protection