Focus Areas

Using state-of-the-art technology, Deft9 analysts conduct targeted open-source research. After establishing baselines of sources and narratives, analysts monitor and quantify changes in the information environment. We apply decades of regional, linguistic, and cultural expertise to produce decision-quality analysis and recommendations. This powerful combination of capabilities means Deft9 can produce actionable information that less experienced analysts using similar technical tools cannot. For clients who need an in-depth assessment of an information environment, Deft9 produces original longitudinal analyses. For dynamic situations that require daily monitoring, Deft9 also creates quick-turn “snapshot” analyses.

Deft9's digital natives and trained regional specialists form teams to affect a given adversarial narrative landscape. Whether it is to augment a counter-narrative or disrupt an adversarial narrative strain, Deft9's experts can securely enter an information environment, engage with it, and depart after eroding or thwarting an adversary's malign influence objectives.

Deft9 teams with, educates, and trains partners to build resilience. Never in history has the information domain been so critical to global security and stability. Malign actors exploit traditional and social media across the globe to alter perceptions and advance their objectives. Deft9’s cognitive domain thought leaders plan and execute actionable strategies to improve information resilience.

Deft9 connects and builds community across government agencies, industries, and academia. Deft9 members regularly publish articles, speak at conferences, and lead solution-oriented collaboration efforts, including those in the Information Professionals Association. Deft9 has complementary subject matter experts in the influence and information warfare spheres—most with decades of know-how in specific disciplines. Our people know policy, technology, emerging trends, and the landscape—and can often influence its evolution. 

Deft9 leverages decades of experience to assess and protect Information and Communications Technology and Operational Technology systems, providing risk-based recommendations to secure IT, cloud, and physical systems. It conducts penetration testing with world-class white hats and evaluates organizational procedures and systems against industry standards. It can then provide unbiased recommendations for hardware- or software-based protection solutions following the assessment.