NSA vs CIA: A Former Analyst Explains the Difference | Alma Katsu
5/6/20261 hr 47 min
Former NSA and CIA analyst Alma Katsu joins us to discuss her career in intelligence, from the analog era of NSA and early hacking programs to CIA work on social media, disinformation, and emerging technology. She also breaks down how real intelligence work differs from Hollywood spy fiction, and how her experiences shaped novels like Black Vault and her upcoming book on Havana Syndrome.
This episode also digs into Iraq War planning, the failure of Phase Four strategy, AI, propaganda, tech regulation, and the challenges women faced inside the intelligence community.
Check out Alma's books here:⬇️
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Alma-Katsu/author/B004FRX5WO?ref=sr\_ntt\_srch\_lnk\_3&qid=1778022974&sr=8-3&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs\_id=7dde9421-b9aa-439f-b0ce-7413359f4d42
GhostBed ⬇️
https://www.ghostbed.com/house
FOR 10% off!
For ad free video and audio and access to live streams and Eyes On Geopolitics...JOIN OUR PATREON!
https://www.patreon.com/c/TheTeamHouse
To help support the show and for all bonus content including:
-live shows and asking guest questions
-ad free audio and video
-early access to shows
-Access to ALL bonus segments with our guests
Subscribe to our Patreon! ⬇️
https://www.patreon.com/TheTeamHouse
Support the show here:⬇️
https://www.patreon.com/TheTeamHouse
___________________________________________________
PRE ORDER JACK'S NEW BOOK "THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN"
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/803651/the-most-dangerous-man-by-jack-murphy/paperback/
Subscribe to the new EYES ON podcast here:⬇️
https://www.youtube.com/@EyesOnGeopoliticsPod/featured
__________________________________
Jack Murphy's new book "We Defy: The Lost Chapters of Special Forces History" ⬇️
https://www.amazon.com/We-Defy-Chapters-Special-History-ebook/dp/B0DCGC1N1N/
——————————————————————
Or make a one time donation at: ⬇️
https://ko-fi.com/theteamhouse
Social Media: ⬇️
The Team House Instagram:
https://instagram.com/the.team.house?utm\_medium=copy\_link
The Team House Twitter:
https://twitter.com/TheTeamHousePod
Jack’s Instagram:
https://instagram.com/jackmcmurph?utm\_medium=copy\_link
Jack’s Twitter:
https://twitter.com/jackmurphyrgr?s=21
Dave’s Twitter:
https://twitter.com/dave\_parke?s=21
Team House Discord: ⬇️
https://discord.gg/wHFHYM6
"Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio"
00:00 — Start
01:34 — Writing spy fiction after a career at NSA and CIA
05:02 — Real spies, “Slow Horses,” and the myth of James Bond
07:15 — From aspiring writer to accidentally joining NSA
10:56 — Starting as an NSA analyst and learning the intelligence world
13:51 — NSA before computers: analog intel, index cards, and the digital transition
16:53 — Inside one of NSA’s first hacking teams
22:13 — Building the CIA’s early social media intelligence program
31:08 — AI, propaganda, and the collapse of trust in open-source information
39:44 — Iraq War planning and the failure of Phase Four strategy
54:23 — Leaving NSA for CIA after the Patriot Act era
01:00:02 — Secret backchannels, Havana Syndrome, and real incidents behind the novels
01:21:19 — CIA publishing battles, pre-publication review, and returning to NSA
01:36:34 — Substack, viewer questions, NSA vs. CIA culture, and final thoughts
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-team-house--5960890/support.
Clips
Showing 10 of 12Transcript preview
First 90 secondsSpeaker 00:00
[upbeat music] With NoviBet, it's time to take a spin with the future of online casinos. Unlock a world of entertainment with the best value and highest RTP in the industry on all your favorite slots and table games. And for blockbuster value, you can't beat guaranteed rewards in our free-to-play game Gift Wheel, where you'll get a daily bonus just for playing. Nice one. So download NoviBet today and play your way. NoviBet, more power to you.
Ryan Seacrest0:27
This universe is calling.
Speaker 20:29
Ever wondered how Aldi's award-winning mozzarella is such good value? Do they hold up local pizza restaurants? Give us two Olga margaritas and hold the baked tomato and basil, now, now, now. Get it sent via a complicated network of undersea milk pipes?
Alma Katsu· Guest0:42
Look, the North Sea Line is going to explode.
Speaker 20:44
Or hire Caprese, the cheese magician? Easy-peasy, gimme squeezy cheese. No. We just ask Johnny Lynch, a buffalo farmer from down the road. Why go to Italy when West Cork dairy rules? Aldi, it's not complicated.
Jack Murphy· Host0:59
Hey, everyone. Welcome to episode 411 of the Team House. I'm Jack Murphy, here with tonight's guest, Alma Katsu. She served as a analyst at NSA and CIA, um, also delving into the technical side as well, um, some of the technological development work that they do. Uh, and she is the author of 10 books, including some spy novels, uh, the bigger one being Black Vault, which is being made into a television show, and an upcoming novel