THE DARK SIDE OF SMART GLASSES
CTG's Threat Intelligence Podcast
Smart glasses, such as the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses (Meta glasses hereafter), will likely facilitate terrorist activities, as malicious actors are likely to divert the initial use of the glasses to serve criminal or terrorist objectives. Potential terrorists will likely use the glasses as props to enhance their operational capabilities and efficiency in carrying out attacks, likely improving attack preparation and planning, surveillance tactics, and espionage. Given the glasses’ capabilities to capture and broadcast photos, videos, and sounds, potential terrorists will likely use...
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2025 Global Threat Landscape & Forecast Analysis
CTG's Threat Intelligence Podcast
Today, we're joined by two intelligence analysts from the Counterterrorism Group, who recently contributed to the 2025 National Intelligence Estimate (NIE), an upcoming annual geopolitical forecast report. While crises expand across local, regional, and international levels, a comprehensive global assessment has never been more critical. In this episode, we’ll explore the report's multi-regional approach and the key areas it highlights, particularly North and South America But first, our guests will share insights into their backgrounds and expertise.
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Eyes Wide Open: Five Eyes and the Shifting Landscape of Global Intelligence
CTG's Threat Intelligence Podcast
The Five Eyes alliance—Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the US—forms one of the largest intelligence-sharing networks in the world. As global conflicts evolve, so do the challenges and threats. How are the Ukraine and Gaza conflicts impacting Five Eyes operations? And with the rise of decentralized threats, like cybercriminals and private intelligence agencies, what changes might be coming to their strategies and intelligence-sharing practices?
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Beyond the Ballot: Venezuela’s Fight for Democracy and the Road Ahead
CTG's Threat Intelligence Podcast
In late July 2024, Venezuela’s national elections sparked protests and controversy. Though President Nicolás Maduro was declared the winner, the opposition claims their candidate, Edmundo González, won with a decisive majority. Months later, Venezuela remains in turmoil as González flees the country under an arrest warrant, and diplomatic tensions rise with nations across Latin America demanding transparency. In today’s episode, Arnold K. sits down with security analyst Agathe Labadi to unpack the latest developments in Venezuela and what they mean for regional stability.
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The Fall of Prigozhin: Power, Politics, and the Future of Wagner
CTG's Threat Intelligence Podcast
In 2023, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russian oligarch and leader of the notorious Wagner mercenary group, launched a "march for justice," seizing the southern city of Rostov in a move against Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, as quickly as it began, the operation was called off after mysterious negotiations with Vladimir Putin. Two months later, Prigozhin's plane crashed—reportedly downed by a Russian missile—killing him and several key officials. In this episode, William Adams joins Arnold Koch to explore the aftermath of Prigozhin's death, the shifting power dynamics within Russia, and...
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Secrets in Plain Sight: How OSINT is Shaping Global Conflicts
CTG's Threat Intelligence Podcast
As conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza unfold, the term "open-source intelligence" (OSINT) has taken center stage. But what exactly is OSINT, and why is it so crucial for intelligence analysis in today’s information-saturated world? In this episode, Martina Nitti joins Arnold Kochka to provide an overview of emerging OSINT techniques and what has changed since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine. We dive into the nature of OSINT, its growing role in deciphering real-time events, and the tools that can help newcomers and experts alike sift through social media and data streams to find the...
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Unexpected Front: Ukraine's Kursk Offensive and the Fallout in Moscow
CTG's Threat Intelligence Podcast
In early August 2024, Ukraine launched an unexpected offensive into the Russian region of Kursk, catching Moscow off guard. Ukrainian forces swiftly took control of over 90 settlements, leaving the Russian government scrambling to respond. Now, the Kremlin is declaring a state of emergency and deploying inexperienced conscripts. Where is the conflict heading and what implications could these developments have for Western security? In this episode, William Adams joins Arnold Koch to provide us with a deeper understanding of these developments.
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Gaming and Extremism - Understanding the Threats in the Digital Playground
CTG's Threat Intelligence Podcast
In this episode of the Threat Intelligence Podcast, host Derrick T. Dortch dives into the complex and emerging world of extremism in gaming spaces with our distinguished guest, Linda Schlegel. As a research fellow at both the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF) - Center for Applied Research on Deradicalization, Linda brings a wealth of expertise to this crucial discussion. Linda is a former intern at The Counterterrorism Group and will share about the intersection of gaming and extremism and how extremist groups are exploiting digital gaming spaces and the challenges this poses, and much...
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Unveiling Cyber Threats with Scott Kim
CTG's Threat Intelligence Podcast
In this episode, Derrick T. Dortch joins Scott Kim, a seasoned Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) practitioner with years of experience at Fortune 10 companies specializing in threat research on ransomware groups and nation-state actors. Recently, Scott has presented at European conferences and shares his research on the latest cyber threats impacting today's world. In June 2024, Scott presented "Bandwagon Effects and Cyber Deceptions: ALPHV's Assault on Optum and the AT&T Outage" at the 2024 Hague Threat Intelligence Exchange (Hague TIX) in The Hague, Netherlands, hosted by Leiden...
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Brazil: Jewel of Nature and Cartel Nexus
CTG's Threat Intelligence Podcast
Brazil is a jewel of nature, diversity, and resources that dominates the Eastern front of the Americas. It is also a country where some of the most violent, dangerous, and powerful criminal organizations in Latin America are based. Brazil’s ports make it an ideal hub for trans-Atlantic illicit trafficks, while its northern and Western borders allow for the transit of people and all kinds of products to almost every other South American country. In this episode, Enrico Dal Cine joins Arnold Koch to offer an overview of the country’s main criminal organizations and their businesses.
info_outlineIn this episode, host Derrick T. Dortch talks with Cara, a former Counterterrorism Group (CTG) Watch Officer who now works as an open-source intelligence (OSINT) investigator focused on conflict and political dynamics in West Africa. Cara shares her experiences dealing with mental health challenges related to her work as an intelligence analyst. Her challenges are common in the intelligence sector but oftentimes not discussed.
In her work at CTG and other places, Cara was routinely exposed to traumatic images and videos in the course of her counterterrorism analysis work. Over time, this constant exposure to graphic, disturbing content takes a psychological toll. The intelligence community (government, military and private/NGO sector) often promotes a "suck it up" attitude and stigmatizes seeking mental health support. Analysts fear that admitting to psychological struggles could jeopardize their career opportunities. Resources exist but are limited and geared more towards those who experience direct trauma from deployments. Cara shares how and why she is an advocate for mental health in the career field of intelligence analysis. She urges the intelligence community to invest more in the mental health of its workforce.
Cara transitioned to her current OSINT role after completing a Master's in Terrorism and Security Studies in 2023. Her insights shed much-needed light on a critical challenge affecting many intelligence professionals today.