Evolving Threats in Intelligence and Security

December 20, 2023

John Sawers, former Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), shares his insights on how security threats have evolved with the rise of digital technologies and social media. In this interview, he offers a compelling exploration of the shift from traditional methods to contemporary security challenges. Sawers examines how intelligence approaches have adapted to address new threats, including the influence of social media on democratic processes and the evolving global geopolitical landscape. The discussion provides An insightful analysis of the current dynamics in intelligence work and highlights the critical issues facing intelligence services in an increasingly interconnected and digital world.

RELATED CONTENT

  • July 4, 2025
    Tensions are rising in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial oil route, as Iran clashes with its rivals, fueling fears that conflict could spill into vital shipping lanes. Missile attacks and military threats risk disrupting global energy supplies and sending prices soaring, with consequences...
  • July 04, 2025
    This episode explores how poverty, inequality, and climate change fuel insecurity and instability, often pushing fragile states toward militarization at the cost of social welfare. It exa ...
  • Authors
    Khadija Mamouni
    July 3, 2025
    While global attention has been focused on the Houthi rebel attacks in the Red Sea, Somali pirates have seized the opportunity to escalate their own attacks and violence along these strategic waterways. The threat is increasing dramatically due to an emerging network of allies between Al-Shabaab, the Houthis, and Somali pirates, as well as overlapping national and international factors. The first successful Somali piracy incident since 2017 took place in December 2023, a month ...
  • July 1, 2025
    في هذه الحلقة من برنامج "حديث الثلاثاء"، نناقش التحولات الدولية المتسارعة تجاه قضية الصحراء المغربية. نركز على اتساع الدعم الدولي لمبادرة الحكم الذاتي وتراجع الاعتراف بـ"الجمهورية الصحراوية المزعومة". كما نستعرض دور الدول الإفريقية والعربية في الدفع نحو حل نهائي وسط انقسامات مجلس الأمن....
  • June 20, 2025
    As the African continent grapples with a new generation of complex and interconnected threats, ranging from violent extremism and transnational crime to governance-related tensions and climate-induced insecurity, Southern Africa is also called upon to reinforce its contribution to conti...