McCrary Institute

Today we're proud to announce a great new go-to website from the McCrary Institute. Introducing #ThreatBeat, our new one-stop site for news, analysis, alerts and context on the issues shaping cyber policy and infrastructure protection. You'll find the best stories from experienced cyber and national security journalists alongside original commentary, explainers and podcasts created by our McCrary team and informed by the wisdom of our senior fellows. All things cyber. All in one place. Visit ThreatBeat.com

Great story on @wsfa12news spreading the good word about the free 24/7 cyber monitoring services available to cities and counties across Alabama. Says our COO Nick Sellers, “Attackers attack across a campaign — and defenders are usually defending one city in isolation. But together, if they join us, we can make each other safer.” 📺 Watch the story wsfa.com/2026/07/11/aub…

Municipalities across the country are under near-constant cyberattacks and the threat is only rising thanks to AI. This isn’t a far-off digital battle. A cyber attack can shut down public services in your town. And most local governments lack the resources to fight back on their own. That's why the work of @AuburnU's McCrary Institute in partnership with the Alabama Office of Information Technology is so important. We're providing no‑cost cybersecurity services giving Alabama communities much needed protection. Check out this great article out in @AuburnEngineers's magazine. eng.auburn.edu/news/2026/07/m…

What began as an experiment in conversational tech has evolved into a widespread coping mechanism as one in five young people now turn to AI chatbots for mental health advice. As a mental health professional, Bonnie Mitchell looks at this shift: threatbeat.com/commentary-and…

As AI changes the speed and scale of cyber conflict, human judgment and real-world experience matter more than ever. This week @Nightwing_usa CTO Chris Jones joins the Cyber Focus podcast to discuss AI, cyber defense, intelligence operations, space systems, and the human element in national security. Watch: mccraryinstitute.com/cyber-focus-po…

NEW: With heat dome bearing down on U.S., pro-Iran hackers claim attack on National Weather Service threatbeat.com/attacks-and-in…

In a conversation with @McCraryCyber's Frank Cilluffo, CyberScoop's @gregotto breaks down the timeline behind the controversy surrounding Anthropic’s Fable-5 and Mythos 5 models — and what it could mean for AI-enabled vulnerability discovery, defensive cyber work, disclosure timelines and AI governance. Watch the full conversation on the Cyber Focus podcast: youtube.com/watch?v=VwNk2t… | mccraryinstitute.com/cyber-focus-po…

Between the fight over Anthropic’s Fable-5, new questions around export controls, and growing tension over AI-driven vulnerability discovery, this moment is raising questions much bigger than one company or model. On Cyber Focus, Frank Cilluffo talks with @CyberScoopNews' @gregotto about what it means for AI, cyber, and governance. Full episode: mccraryinstitute.com/cyber-focus-po…

New on @ThreatBeatNews: The FBI expects to conduct more court-authorized cyber operations to remove foreign hackers’ access to privately owned routers and edge devices according to Brett Leatherman from @FBICyberDiv. On our latest episode of Cyber Focus, he underscored how adversaries’ use of everyday infrastructure is pushing law enforcement into technically complex and legally sensitive terrain. Read the recap of the podcast here: threatbeat.com/video/fbi-eyes… And listen to the full episode: mccraryinstitute.com/cyber-focus-po…

“We can’t defend against machine speed at human speed.” FBI Assistant Director for @FBICyberDiv @BrettIeatherman warns that ransomware actors are beginning to use agentic AI to move faster across the cyber kill chain — and to target the underlying systems entire sectors depend on. Watch the full Cyber Focus episode: mccraryinstitute.com/cyber-focus-po…

Huge thank you to the organizers who put together today's Homeland Security & Defense Forum. Our Director Frank Cilluffo moderated a panel on congressional priorities with Moira Bergin, Casey Dolen, Alan McQuinn and Emily Park. The day was full of enlightening comments from many of our senior fellows including Christopher Cleary, Matt Hayden, John Katko and Kiersten E. Todt.

Frontier AI can help cyber defenders move faster — but access alone will not protect rural hospitals, utilities, water systems, banks, and local governments. @PaloAltoNtwks' Daniel Kroese joins Cyber Focus to discuss the new AI Executive Order and the challenge of turning advanced AI into usable cyber defense for the operators that need it most. Full episode: mccraryinstitute.com/cyber-focus-po…

We were out in full force last week at the Alabama Public Sector Cybersecurity Summit sharing our work to defend the systems powering citizen services and our state and local governments across the state. It was great to spend time connecting with our partners at the Alabama Office of Information Technology, CISA, and the state and local government officials defending their communities across the state. It was a fantastic opportunity to explain the McCrary Secure free services we’re providing to state and local government entities throughout the state as part of the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program. You can learn more about our McCrary services here: mccraryinstitute.com/mccrary-instit…

AI is not your friend. That’s @geoffreyfowler's warning to parents as AI tools increasingly act like companions, tutors, toys and sources of emotional support for kids. On our Cyber Focus podcast, Frank Cilluffo speaks with Fowler about @CommonSense's new Youth AI Safety Institute and its effort to build independent safety standards for AI products used by children. Listen to the full episode: mccraryinstitute.com/cyber-focus-po…

We are honored to welcome former Acting Director of the National Security Agency and Commander of U.S. Cyber Command Lt. Gen. Joe Hartman (Ret.) to our advisory board. He is one of the nation’s most respected cyber and intelligence leaders, bringing unmatched operational credibility and strategic insight forged at the highest levels of government. As Frank Cilluffo put it, General Hartman “helped shape America’s cyber posture during a period of extraordinary geopolitical and technological change. His experience spanning cyber operations, intelligence, military strategy and emerging technology will be invaluable as the McCrary Institute continues expanding its national leadership across cyber policy, applied research and operational collaboration.” Read the full announcement: mccraryinstitute.com/auburn-univers…

The AI race may come down to who learns fastest. On Cyber Focus, @Estonia_in_US Ambassador @kprikk explains why AI literacy, education and national competitiveness are now inseparable — and how Estonia’s AI Leap initiative is preparing students to use AI wisely. Watch the full episode: mccraryinstitute.com/cyber-focus-po…

Iran hackers said today that they have detected “preparations for the renewed outbreak of military conflict in the coming days” and would respond to U.S. and Israeli actions with “devastating” widespread attacks targeting energy and IT infrastructure threatbeat.com/adversaries/se…

AI agents are not just tools that follow instructions. They can behave in ways organizations may not anticipate. On the Cyber Focus podcast, @Walter_Haydock, founder and CEO of StackAware, joins Frank Cilluffo to discuss what AI accountability should look like; from audit trails and reasoning traces to the question of who owns the risk when autonomous systems act.

Today we announced the appointment of two stalwarts of the energy sector to lead our industry-led energy advisory board. Jennifer Flandermeyer and KC Carnes, executives at NextEra Energy, Inc. and the Tennessee Valley Authority, respectively, together bring decades of experience to the McCrary Institute’s Southeast Region Cybersecurity Collaboration Center (SERC3) Industry Advisory Board. They will help guide the McCrary-led SERC3 initiative, which helps energy companies solve the most pressing cybersecurity and operational technology challenges as adversaries increasingly target America’s energy grid. Flandermeyer will serve as the board’s chair and Carnes will join as vice chair. Read the announcement: mccraryinstitute.com/auburn-univers… Learn more about SERC3: mccraryinstitute.com/project/serc3/