Cortney Weinbaum

In National Security, Autistic Employees Are in the Closet. Here's Why

Archaic U.S. military and federal policies, combined with decades-old understandings about autism spectrum disorder, create an environment where people hide their autism and other cognitive diagnoses. Our national security challenges are too difficult and too important to leave to the portion of the population who use their brains in only “typical” ways.

An Autistic Soldier Wants You to Read This

Despite the recruitment challenges it is currently facing, the Army continues to make personnel decisions based on last century's understanding of neurodivergent diagnoses. The loosening of stigma associated with these diagnoses could improve recruitment, and the Army might reap the benefits of neurodiversity.

How China Is Building Influence Through Arms Sales

China may be using arms sales to strengthen alliances around the South China Sea and counter the United States' regional alliances. Beijing's security relationships around the South China Sea could be a harbinger of what it might replicate in Africa and possibly Latin America.

The Intelligence Community Doesn't Warn About All Attacks Against the U.S. Homeland. Why Not?

Targets for foreign threats against the United States increasingly include entities that are not part of the U.S. government or military. But too many of these potential victims are unaware of threats against them, are not warned with intelligence reporting about such threats, and lack information about options to protect themselves.

China's Security Contractors Have Avoided the Fate of Russia's Military Contractors, So Far

China's approach to private security contractors is much more limited in scope and effects than Russia's use of private military contractors. But indicators suggest that Chinese planners see benefits in expanding and maturing China's use of private contractors, which creates the potential for dangerous results for China and the rest of the world.

The Intelligence Community's Deadly Bias Toward Classified Sources

Even when relevant data is publicly available, U.S. intelligence analysts are not including it in their analytic products during their routine course of business. This willful ignorance of publicly available information is hurting U.S. national security.

Scientific Research Integrity Demands Transparency—the Law Should Require It Too

China pays U.S. scientists for their innovations in exchange for money and access to research laboratories and speaking and publication opportunities. They require the researchers to keep these agreements secret from their employers or the U.S. government. Perhaps it is time to codify scientific transparency into law.

A Code of Conduct for AI in Defense Should Be an Extension of Other Military Codes

An AI code of conduct for defense should look a lot like all other defense codes of conduct. A global society that would create the Geneva Convention is a society that believes in a moral code for warfare. This same code could extend into its weaponized algorithms.

Intel, Ethics, and Emerging Tech: Q&A with Cortney Weinbaum

Cortney Weinbaum studies topics related to intelligence and cyber policy as a senior management scientist at RAND. In this interview, she discusses challenges facing the intelligence community, the risks of using AI as a solution, and ethics in scientific research.

Here's What an AI Code of Conduct for the Pentagon Might Look Like

Advocates want a code of conduct for how artificial intelligence will be used and oversight to ensure it is being followed. DoD could identify areas where it might use AI in the foreseeable future and set rules and guidelines for business uses, non-lethal military uses, and lethal uses.

Book Review: 'The Woman Who Smashed Codes' by Jason Fagone

'The Woman Who Smashed Codes' by Jason Fagone is the story of Elizebeth Friedman, the mother of modern cryptoanalysis and cryptography. She broke coded messages of organized crime, broke the Nazi Enigma cryptography machine, and deciphered, mapped, and monitored Nazi activities in South America, though it is her husband William who often gets credit.

Financial Frameworks for Cybersecurity Are Failing

Cybersecurity has become a team sport. But all participants on the field are playing without clear rules, without a team approach, and without knowing when to pass the ball or to whom.

Business Model of the Intelligence Community Needs an Upgrade

The workplace practices of most intelligence agencies are outdated. Rethinking and redesigning the intelligence business model could help agencies better respond to current-day threats.

Covert Influence Is the New Money Laundering

Anti-money laundering laws provide lessons for combating covert influence operations, such as Russian meddling in the U.S. election. These laws could be adapted for online media models that do not require users to be paid customers.

The Future of Cyber Investigations at the FBI Is Unclear

Evidence presented by the FBI in the case of U.S. v. Jay Michaud was excluded because the agency was unwilling to reveal the software exploit used to collect it. If the FBI exposes its capabilities, other criminals can patch their computers, but concealing its techniques risks the ability to prosecute cyber criminals.

The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in Intelligence Agencies

The defense community has already begun a healthy dialogue about the ethics of AI in combat systems. The intelligence community should develop standards for AI risk assessments and assign responsibility for conducting them.

Defining a New Paradigm for Government Secrecy

Technology has afforded the U.S. national security apparatus incredible capabilities, along with equally monumental challenges and risks. The government has the option to choose whether to adjust by taking a proactive approach or to allow external forces to determine the future of its secrets.

Report

Neurodiversity and National Security: How to Tackle National Security Challenges with a Wider Range of Cognitive Talents

This report provides research and analysis for national security managers and employees who seek to better understand neurodivergence and neurodiversity and desire simple steps to achieve neurodiverse inclusivity for national security workplaces.

Research Brief

Why National Security Needs Neurodiversity: Drawing on a Wider Range of Cognitive Talents to Tackle National Security Challenges

This brief summarizes research and analysis for national security managers and employees who seek to better understand neurodivergence and neurodiversity and desire actionable steps to achieve neurodiverse inclusivity in national security workplaces.

Report

The Technology Promotion and Protection Decision Tool: Introduction and User Manual

The authors of this report describe a tool designed to help U.S. Department of Defense decisionmakers select from the many available approaches to promote and protect critical technologies and their associated industrial base.

Tool

Mapping Chinese and Russian Military and Security Exports to Africa

RAND researchers analyzed which African countries received military arms and private military and security contractors from China and Russia in 2018-2021. This visualization maps China's and Russia's influence across Africa.

Tool

China's Weapons Exports and Private Security Contractors

RAND researchers provide a visualization of China's military and security influence around the world through the country's exports of weapons and private security contractors during 2018-2021.

Report

Options for Strengthening All-Source Intelligence: Substantive Change Is Within Reach

Foreign attacks against the United States occur frequently. The authors propose game-changing ideas to enable intelligence analysts to address long-standing challenges related to the use of open sources, analytic tradecraft, and politicization.

Research Brief

Assessing Systemic Strengths and Vulnerabilities of China's Defense Industrial Base

This brief presents an assessment of the strengths and vulnerabilities of China's defense industrial base (DIB), using a methodology that could be applied to assess any country's DIB.

Report

Assessing Systemic Strengths and Vulnerabilities of China's Defense Industrial Base: With a Repeatable Methodology for Other Countries

The authors assess the strengths and vulnerabilities of China's defense industrial base (DIB) by designing and applying a comparative analytic structure that could be used to assess any country's DIB.

Report

Reimagining Defense Advisory Boards: Lessons Learned for Leaders in the U.S. Department of Defense

RAND Corporation researchers embarked on this exploratory study to reveal lessons learned for how the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) can improve its use of advisory boards.

Report

Measuring Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Effectiveness at the United States Central Command

The authors developed a repeatable process to measure the effectiveness of U.S. Central Command intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations; evaluate current performance; and plan for, influence, and resource future operations.

Tool

Measuring Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Effectiveness at the United States Central Command: Data Visualization Tool Documentation

The authors used Tableau to create a visualization tool that allows U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) to display the performance and effectiveness of its support to intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) roles, sub-roles, and activities.

Report

Ethics in Scientific Research: An Examination of Ethical Principles and Emerging Topics

Scientific research ethics vary by discipline and by country, and this analysis sought to understand those variations. The authors reviewed literature and conducted interviews to examine how ethics are created, monitored, and enforced.

Commentary

Perspectives and Opportunities in Intelligence for U.S. Leaders

This Perspective identifies opportunities for senior government leaders to enact meaningful changes in the Intelligence Community across departments, agencies, and disciplines.

Journal Article

Intelligence in a Data-Driven Age

The Intelligence Community is nearing critical decisions on artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Report

Moving to the Unclassified: How the Intelligence Community Can Work from Unclassified Facilities

This report provides analysis and recommendations for intelligence agencies on how to conduct work outside classified facilities by identifying policy, legal, technology, security, financial, and cultural considerations.

Report

Understanding Government Telework: An Examination of Research Literature and Practices from Government Agencies

This report provides an overview of the literature on telework, examines telework practices from across seven government agencies, and explains how government agencies benefit when employees engage in telework.

Commentary

SIGINT for Anyone: The Growing Availability of Signals Intelligence in the Public Domain

This Perspective examines signals intelligence (SIGINT) technologies available outside of government to understand the capabilities they provide and their implications for government policy and practices.

Tool

Roadmap to Succeed in the Open for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency's Human Development Directorate

This tool provides the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency's Human Development Directorate with a roadmap for how employees can overcome the hurdles to achieving the agency's missions outside of secure and classified environments.

Report

Exploring Cyber Security Policy Options in Australia

RAND conducted a cyber security exercise in Canberra, Australia to explore opportunities to improve cyber security, assess the implications of possible solutions, and inform Australia's next national Cyber Security Strategy.

Report

A Framework for Exploring Cybersecurity Policy Options

RAND conducted two discovery games to explore possible solutions for improving cybersecurity, assess their implications, and develop an initial framework to support debate and inform decisions regarding cybersecurity policies and practices.

Report

The Millennial Generation: Implications for the Intelligence and Policy Communities

This report describes how the intelligence community must engage millennials across multiple segments to succeed in the future: millennials as intelligence clients, employees, and partners and as members of the public.