The Rest Is Classified
Enter the secretive world of spies, espionage, and covert operations. Hosted by former CIA analyst turned spy novelist, David McCloskey, and veteran security correspondent, Gordon Corera, this podcast unravels real-life spy stories, intelligence secrets, and the hidden power struggles shaping global events. From Cold War espionage to modern-day intelligence agencies like the CIA, MI6, and Mossad, explore the world of double agents, classified missions, and the shadowy figures who operate in them. Whether you're a true crime addict, a thriller fan, or fascinated by spy stories, this is the show for you.
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Recent Episodes
Summary Preview
This episode investigates how North Korean hackers pulled off the largest heist in history, stealing $6.3 billion from cryptocurrency exchange Binance in just 20 minutes. The episode explores the sophisticated multi-month operation involving fake job interviews, malware deployment, and rapid automated money laundering, while revealing how North Korea's intelligence services function more like state-sanctioned crime syndicates than traditional spy agencies, using stolen crypto to fund their nuclear weapons and missile programs.
- The Anatomy of the $6.3 Billion Crypto Heist
- The Social Engineering Attack: Fake Job Interviews as Weapons
202. Watergate: The CIA Conspiracy (Ep 1)
Nov 02, 2026Summary Preview
This episode begins a four-part series examining the CIA's role in Watergate, exploring how President Nixon's paranoia and determination to stop leaks led to the creation of the 'Plumbers' unit and eventually to illegal break-ins involving CIA resources. The episode establishes Nixon's troubled relationship with the intelligence community, his response to the Pentagon Papers leak, and how former CIA officer E. Howard Hunt became central to operations that would ultimately lead to the biggest political scandal in American history.
- Richard Nixon: The Paranoid President
- The Culture of Paranoia and Domestic Threats
The US Mercenaries Fighting Haiti’s Deadly Gang War
Oct 30, 2026Summary Preview
CNN's Chief International Security Correspondent Nick Payton Walsh discusses his groundbreaking investigation into Haiti's desperate attempt to regain control from powerful gangs by hiring Eric Prince's private military company, Vectus Global. The report reveals a capital city where 90% was recently under gang control, with downtown Port-au-Prince transformed into an urban wasteland. Prince's operation deploys ex-special forces contractors and armed drones in what may represent a new era of privatized warfare, raising questions about effectiveness, civilian casualties, and the future of conflict in failed states.
- Haiti's Collapse Into Gang Control
- The Gang Landscape and Their Brutal Methods
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Gordon Corera and David McCloskey examine recent cyber apocalypse warnings, government prepping guidance, and the intersection of AI, cyber threats, and geopolitical tensions. While dismissing doomsday scenarios, they explain why nations are preparing for infrastructure disruptions caused by hostile state actors exploiting vulnerabilities in power grids, water systems, and other critical infrastructure. The discussion covers the PHP vulnerability scare, Russian and Iranian cyberattacks on NATO countries, and new resilience measures including the UK's 72-hour supply guidance and the Pentagon's FORTRESS initiative requiring 90-day base independence.
- The PHP Vulnerability Scare and AI's Role in Cybersecurity
- The Valley of Pain: AI's Impact on Offense vs. Defense
201. Kim Philby: Exiled in Moscow (Ep 6)
Oct 26, 2026Summary Preview
In this concluding episode of the Kim Philby series, David McCluskey and Gordon Carrera examine Philby's complex life in Moscow after his 1963 defection. Despite viewing himself as a Soviet intelligence officer who had 'come home,' Philby faced suspicion from the KGB, personal turmoil, and decades of uncertainty before finding limited usefulness and his most stable relationship. The episode explores his death in 1988, the enduring mystery of whether MI6 maintained secret contact with him, and grapples with the fundamental question of who Philby really was - committed ideologue or master deceiver.
- Life in Moscow and Relationship with Fellow Defectors
- The Defector's Dilemma and KGB Suspicion
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The Rest Is Classified examines the case of a Saudi engineer accused of planting sophisticated bugging devices inside OpenAI's headquarters in San Francisco. Hosts Gordon Carrera and David McCloskey explore how Abdurramen Al-Fazan allegedly used commercially available technology and ChatGPT to conduct surveillance, the evidence linking him to Saudi government connections, and what this reveals about the democratization of espionage technology and the growing insider threat facing Silicon Valley's AI companies.
- The OpenAI Bugging Case: Discovery and Arrest
- Who Is Abdurramen Al-Fazan?
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This episode covers the dramatic confrontation between MI6 officer Nicholas Elliott and Soviet spy Kim Philby in Beirut in January 1963. Elliott arrives with new evidence to extract a confession, offering immunity in exchange for full disclosure. Philby provides a partial confession but then mysteriously disappears, fleeing to Moscow. The episode explores the suspicious circumstances of his escape and whether MI6 intentionally allowed him to run, while examining the devastating impact on British intelligence and the paranoid mole hunts that followed.
- The Confrontation Begins
- Philby's Partial Confession
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In this episode, Gordon Corera reports directly from MI5 headquarters where Director General Sir Ken McCallum delivered his annual threat assessment. The briefing covered escalating state threats from Russia, Iran, and China, the emerging dangers of AI-enabled terrorism, and the mysterious incident at RAF Fairford involving potential Iranian attacks on US military assets. The discussion explores how traditional security threats are being transformed by new technologies, particularly autonomous drones and artificial intelligence.
- Russia's Continuing Aggression and Brexit Interference
- AI as an Emerging Security Threat
199. Kim Philby: Undercover in Beirut (Ep 4)
Oct 11, 2026Summary Preview
Kim Philby begins a new chapter in Beirut as a journalist and MI6 agent in 1956, where he reconnects with Soviet handlers while enjoying the glamorous expatriate lifestyle. As he navigates personal turmoil—including affairs, his father's death, and heavy drinking—MI5's Arthur Martin continues building a case against him. New evidence emerges in 1962 that finally convinces MI6 of Philby's betrayal, leading to a dramatic confrontation.
- Philby's New Life in Beirut
- Family Dynamics and St. John Philby
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Germany's former foreign intelligence chief August Hanning has been arrested on unprecedented treason and espionage charges for allegedly receiving 2,000 classified documents over 12 years. The case emerged not through traditional counterintelligence work, but through a bizarre kidnapping investigation involving a steakhouse heiress, revealing a complex web of private consulting, international contacts, and potential breaches that could affect Germany's intelligence partners across the Five Eyes alliance.
- The Unprecedented Arrest of a Former Spy Chief
- The Nature of the Leaked Documents
198. Kim Philby: Interrogated by MI5 (Ep 3)
Oct 04, 2026Summary Preview
This episode examines Kim Philby's interrogations following the defection of his Cambridge spy ring colleagues Burgess and Maclean to Moscow in 1951. Despite mounting circumstantial evidence and pressure from the Americans, Philby survives multiple interrogations through his composure and the lack of hard proof. The episode culminates in his public exoneration by the British Foreign Secretary in 1955, followed by his remarkable reinstatement by MI6 with a posting to Beirut as a journalist, demonstrating how establishment connections and class loyalty shielded him despite growing suspicions.
- The First Interrogations and Philby's Defense
- Bill Harvey's Memo and American Pressure
London Station (Extract)
Oct 02, 2026Summary Preview
This exclusive audiobook preview features the first two chapters of David McCloskey's spy novel 'London Station.' The story follows CIA officer Artemis Aphrodite Proctor, operating under the alias Sybil Flanagan, as she attempts a dangerous cold pitch operation targeting a Chinese intelligence officer in London—without British approval. Using elaborate disguises and false credentials, Proctor violates multiple liaison protocols with America's closest ally, leading to spectacular failure when her silicone mask literally falls apart during the operation, culminating in her arrest by British authorities.
- The Unsanctioned Mission and CIA-British Relations
- Artemis Proctor's High-Risk Disguise Operation
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This episode examines whether the October 7th, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel could have been prevented, focusing on intelligence and policy failures. The discussion centers on explosive reporting from Israeli newspaper Haaretz claiming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received specific warnings from the UAE and Egypt weeks before the attack but failed to act. The hosts analyze multiple types of failures—collection, analytical, organizational, and policy—that contributed to Israel missing the largest terror attack in its history despite having one of the world's most sophisticated intelligence apparatus.
- The October 7th Attack and Its Aftermath
- The Bombshell UAE Warning
197. Kim Philby: Under Threat from the FBI (Ep 2)
Sep 27, 2026Summary Preview
This episode chronicles the dramatic defection of Cambridge spies Donald Maclean and Guy Burgess in 1951, examining how Kim Philby, as MI6's man in Washington, watched the investigation close in on his fellow Soviet agents. The episode details the supersecret Venona codebreaking operation that exposed Soviet penetration of Western intelligence, Philby's desperate attempts to warn Maclean while covering his tracks, and the fateful decision to use the erratic Guy Burgess as a courier - a choice that would prove catastrophic for the entire spy ring.
- The Venona Project: Breaking Soviet Codes
- Donald Maclean's Spectacular Crack-Up
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Gordon Carrera and David McCloskey examine Russia's dramatic escalation of covert operations across Europe, including drone attacks, sabotage plots, and assassination attempts. They analyze recent incidents in Germany, Poland, and the US, exploring how Russia's desperation in Ukraine is driving increasingly dangerous provocations that risk miscalculation and potential conflict with NATO. The discussion reveals a fragmented Russian intelligence landscape where semi-autonomous groups compete for Kremlin attention through audacious operations.
- Russian Drone Strike Near NATO Territory
- Failed Drone Sabotage at German Airport
196. Kim Philby: A KGB Spy in Washington (Ep 1)
Sep 20, 2026Summary Preview
Kim Philby reaches the peak of his power as MI6's head of station in Washington in 1949, liaising with the newly formed CIA while secretly feeding intelligence to Moscow. His position gives him unprecedented access to Anglo-American covert operations against the Soviet bloc, but the net is slowly closing around him as investigations into wartime leaks begin, and his friendship with the chaotic Guy Burgess threatens to expose everything.
- Philby's Journey to Washington: The Perfect Position
- Building Relationships with American Intelligence
195. How Silicon Valley Took Over National Security
Sep 17, 2026Summary Preview
This bonus episode features Sharon Weinberger, author of 'Valley of Death,' discussing her Wall Street Journal investigation that revealed how a secret CIA contract saved Steve Jobs and Next Computer in the 1980s. The conversation explores this fascinating story and expands into a broader discussion about the evolving power dynamics between Silicon Valley and the national security establishment, from Cold War origins to today's defense tech boom, examining who really controls America's military technology future.
- The Secret CIA Contract That Saved Steve Jobs
- Why Jobs Never Thanked the CIA
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This episode concludes the two-part series on Agent Redwood, a KGB officer who volunteered to work for MI6 in revolutionary Iran. The discussion explores how Redwood's intelligence exposed a Soviet plot to overthrow the Ayatollah's regime, the dramatic exfiltration attempt, and the controversial decision to share this intelligence with Iran's Revolutionary Guard—a move that successfully prevented Soviet expansion but inadvertently helped create the brutal theocratic regime that persists today. The story reveals the complex moral calculus of Cold War intelligence operations and their unintended long-term consequences.
- Redwood's Intelligence Gold: Exposing the Soviet Illegals Network
- The Human Cost: Redwood's Personal Struggle and Operational Tradecraft
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This episode explores the remarkable true story of Vladimir Kuzichkin, codenamed Agent Redwood, a KGB officer who defected to MI6 during the Iranian Revolution. The discussion with author Ben McIntyre reveals how a deeply personal medical problem combined with ideological disillusionment led to one of the most consequential Cold War defections—one that would shape modern Iran and change the course of intelligence history.
- Introduction to Agent Redwood and His Historical Significance
- Vladimir Kuzichkin: The Making of a KGB Officer
192. 9/11: The War on Terror (Ep 6)
Sep 09, 2026Summary Preview
This episode examines whether 9/11 could have been prevented, analyzing intelligence failures and structural problems between the CIA and FBI. The hosts explore missed opportunities in the months before the attacks, debate whether early warnings could have disrupted the plot, and discuss the profound 25-year legacy of 9/11 on American foreign policy, intelligence operations, and national psyche. They conclude that while there were significant failures in information sharing and management, prevention would have required either well-placed sources inside al-Qaeda or earlier FBI surveillance of key operatives.
- The Intelligence Community's Immediate Response to 9/11
- The Fundamental Collection Failure