Security Analysis

*From the [publisher's website](https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691268927/irans-grand-strategy):* Iran presents one of the most significant foreign policy challenges for America and the West, yet very little is known about what the country’s goals really are. Vali Nasr examines Iran’s political history in new ways to explain its actions and ambitions on the world stage, showing how, behind the veneer of theocracy and Islamic ideology, today’s Iran is pursuing a grand strategy aimed at securing the country internally and asserting its place in the region and the world. Drawing on memoirs, oral histories, and original in-depth interviews with Iranian decision makers, Nasr brings to light facts and events in Iran’s political history that have been overlooked until now. He traces the roots of Iran’s strategic outlook to its experiences over the past four decades of war with Iraq in the 1980s and the subsequent American containment of Iran, invasion of Iraq in 2003, and posture toward Iran thereafter. Nasr reveals how these experiences have shaped a geopolitical outlook driven by pervasive fear of America and its plans for the Middle East. Challenging the notion that Iran’s foreign policy simply reflects its revolutionary values or theocratic government, *Iran’s Grand Strategy* provides invaluable new insights into what Iran wants and why, explaining the country’s resistance to the United States, its nuclear ambitions, and its pursuit of influence and proxies across the Middle East. ***How to find us:*** We meet in the upstairs seating area at Zorba's in Dupont Circle. Look for a sign on a table with a picture of the book's cover on it. ***Links:*** **[Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/91030/9780691268927): By purchasing your book through this link, you help support local bookstores and defray the cost of DCIA's Meetup subscription.** [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Irans-Grand-Strategy-Political-History/dp/0691268924) [Princeton University Press](https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691268927/irans-grand-strategy) [WIkipedia page about Vali Nasr](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vali_Nasr)

**Inflow 6:00 PM - Talks Start \~6:30 PM** **Reston Community Center - 2310 Colts Neck Rd, Reston, VA 20191** NoVA Hackers is a group located in the Northern Virginia area and is made up of Information Security Professionals from all walks of life, from government and private sector, to students and beginners. The monthly meetings are held much like a mini-conference with 4-8 speakers and only a few basic but strict rules. Participation and Permission Active Participation is required for continued membership and is the only due required. Permission is required to be obtained from anyone providing information to the group from the person providing it to be made public by anyone other than the provider. Historically our talks generally run a bit late and we have a hard stop at 9:30pm for the room. If you want to socialize we recommend you arrive at 6 to meet and greet before the talks. Agendas and remote meeting option available after you join the group.

[Profs and Pints DC](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“What Digital Detectives Find,”** on the afterlife of your digital data and the methods of those who investigate it, with Jim Jones, associate professor at George Mason University and cyber security and digital forensics expert. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/dc-digital-detectives](https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/dc-digital-detectives) .] What happens when you delete digital data such as a picture, video, or email message? The truth is that “deleted” doesn't mean “gone,” and digital forensic investigators can extract and make sense of the residual fragments left over from data often assumed to be gone forever. Learn about the field of digital forensics—and the lessons it offers those who worry about sensitive data being exposed—with Jim Jones, who has been a cyber security and digital forensics practitioner, researcher, and educator for more than 30 years. You’ll learn how all investigations today, criminal and otherwise, to some degree involve digital forensics, an interdisciplinary field that draws from computer engineering, computer science, information technology, law, and ethics. Digital forensics doesn’t just respond to specific incidents, but also seeks out threats within organizations, analyzes malware, and buttresses cyber security. Much of the work of Dr. Jones, his colleagues, and students involves examining digital systems of all types to understand how data persists and decays and how it can be found and recovered. Dr. Jones will discuss how what happens to the digital data that you deleted depends on the type of device you are using, along with a host of other factors. You'll learn how digital data is stored on different devices and what does and doesn’t happen when you delete that data. You'll see examples of data extracted from different devices, demonstrations of what can be inferred from these remnants, and how investigators can tell if such remnants are genuine or not. Finally, you'll learn about strategies to mitigate the risk of exposing sensitive data. Dr. Jones will sort those that work from those that don’t. (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: A digital forensics examiner works with evidence in the FBI’s New Jersey Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory (FBI photo).

Organization of women and men (associate members) dedicated to community service, education and supporting families in our community.

**Now is the Time for Action!** ​The US must lead the way on regulations to ban unsafe superhuman AI! ​Humanity stands at a crossroads. Unless we work together, reckless development of artificial intelligence (AI) could endanger us all. A handful of companies are racing to be first to build superintelligent AI – systems vastly more powerful than human beings. Meanwhile, leading AI scientists and whistleblowers warn that these systems could escape our control and cause the end of human civilization. ​But this is not inevitable. We can make the wise choice. Rival nations have worked together in the past to reduce nuclear arsenals, restrict chemical and biological weapons, reject human cloning, and save the ozone layer. We must do the same now for superintelligent AI. ​Join PauseAI at our US Capitol Day of Action. As our volunteers from across the country meet with their representatives, we will gather before the Capitol Building to demand regulations on unsafe, superintelligent AI. ​We will be gathering on the West Front Lawn of the US Capitol Building, on Monday, April 13th, 4-6 PM. This demonstration will be fully permitted by the US Capitol Police; it will be a peaceful, lawful, and respectful call for Congress to protect their constituents. ​For more information, check out [pauseai-us.org](https://pauseai-us.org/?utm_source=luma). ​Join us and make your voice heard. Help us ban unsafe AI!

Event hosted by Bowie! Please check out our COVID restrictions at: https://wiki.unallocatedspace.org/wiki/index.php?title=COVID-19_Reopening_Plan Monday evenings, we will be open for Project Night - a night to work on, collaborate on, or brainstorm on whatever projects you're currently working on or interested in. Don't have a project? Come see what others are working on and get involved or get ideas. If you have an concept for a group project, bring your ideas and seek out others to join you. Project Night is a great opportunity to make progress on your projects as a regularly scheduled event. Anyone is welcome to work on projects any time the space is open, but a dedicated night--just for this--is really fantastic. Teach, Learn, Build.

PLEASE READ AS THERE IS AN IMPORTANT CHANGE for the blind tasting at Maxwell Park only: prepayment will be required. Please note that refunds for cancellations are allowed up to 12 hours before the event start time. (This would be 6:15 AM so best to cancel the night before and definitely as soon as you know.) Please bear with me as we navigate this new process. The real maximum number of attendees will remain at 14, but since the Meetup App won’t let me make it a requirement to pre-pay when you RSVP "Yes," I’m not going to set a cap on Meetup's RSVP list, and we will see how that goes. Because there is no linkage between the Meetup App and Maxwell’s prepayment link, you can’t rely on Meetup's RSVP feature to know if there are still spots available. You will only know with certainty that the attendee cap has been reached if you are rejected while trying to prepay. Here is the pre-pay link: [https://www.giftrocker.com/secure/Order/?h=4375667a](https://www.giftrocker.com/secure/Order/?h=4375667a) Let me know if you have any specific questions. Thank you for your patience as we transition to this new process! Maxwell Park is 4 blocks from the Mt. Vernon Sq/7th St-Convention Center. 🍷 RSVP Please: --**If your plans have changed, please change your RSVP to No.** *Note start time of 6:15 PM!* Please plan to arrive on time. 🍷 What is blind wine tasting? In a blind tasting you use your sense of smell, sight, and taste to try to deduce which variety(wine grape) is in your glass. 🍷 Do I need to be a wine professional? Definitely not - this group is experience diverse and we welcome both wine newbies and wine pros (and everyone else in between). 🍷 How does this work? --Please arrive slightly before 6:15pm to grab a seat. --Maxwell Park will serve us two wine flights: 3 white wines around 6:20 pm and 3 red wines around 7:30 pm. Each flight is $20. A 20% gratuity and tax is added to that. Food and other wines are also available for purchase. --We will discuss each flight as a group and try to reach somewhat of a consensus. Then comes the *big reveal* where we discover if our guesses were right. Full vaccination is required, masks are optional. Unfortunately, while we will try to be as careful as possible, we cannot promise that this will be 100% Covid risk free, please keep that in mind when deciding whether or not to attend. Stay home if you are experiencing any symptoms of Covid 19. Please keep an eye on this event for possible changes. Hope to see you there ! \~ Linda Lists of possible wines: [White Wine Varieties](https://www.mastersommeliers.org/sites/default/files/ES%20Tast-CMS%20Probable%20List%20of%20Examinable%20White%20Grape%20Varieties-NEW_2015.pdf) [Red Wine Varieties](https://www.mastersommeliers.org/sites/default/files/ES%20Tast-CMS%20Probable%20List%20of%20Examinable%20Red%20Grape%20Varieties-NEW_2015.pdf)

​This meetup is for anyone building with OpenClaw (& Claude Code) or experimenting with other AI tools to create agents that can act and make decisions on their own. If you haven’t tried these yet, come hang out, ask questions, and see what others are building. We’ll trade notes, troubleshoot setups, and explore what it takes to run these systems openly on the web instead of inside closed platforms. Bring your laptop, grab some power, and jump into a night that feels part LAN party, part live build session, where people test ideas and show what their agents can actually do. 👉 [RSVP on LUMA](https://luma.com/53dx7no1) We’ll also have some fun by running a live test to see if a few of our agents can send Bitcoin back and forth and talk about why that’s a meaningful step for autonomous AI. It’s a chance to connect the dots between open AI tools, Bitcoin, and the wider goal of creating technology that no one can turn off. 👉 [RSVP on LUMA](https://luma.com/53dx7no1)

Join the Bitcoin District Book Club! We meet every month to explore new and exciting rabbit holes by reading books that are popular with bitcoiners. Join us for a deep dive into End Times: Elites, Counter-Elites, and the Path of Political Disintegration by Peter Turchin. In this thought-provoking session, we’ll explore the structural forces that have historically led to societal instability—and why Turchin believes we are entering such a period today. Drawing on his work in “cliodynamics” (the quantitative study of history), Turchin examines cycles of rising inequality, elite overproduction, and political fragmentation. We’ll discuss how internal competition among elites and growing public discontent have repeatedly destabilized societies—from ancient Rome to modern America—and what this might mean for the decades ahead. For those interested in macro trends, power structures, and long-term societal patterns, this book offers a compelling framework for understanding today’s increasingly chaotic world. Buy the book on [Amazon](https://a.co/d/097mab73) **Event Notes:** * Discussion Starters: We’ll kick things off with a few key questions around elite dynamics and societal cycles, but feel free to bring your own perspectives. * Future Reads: Let us know if you have recommendations for future book club selections! We’ll add them to the list posted on our website. * Afterwards: Feel free to join us at Pubkey after the meeting to hang out, continue the conversation, and grab some food! **Getting There:** * 🔴🟢🟡 Gallery Place/Chinatown + 2 min walk * Parking: Street & garage parking available nearby

## Join Our AI Workshop! Get ready to dive into the world of artificial intelligence at our fun and interactive in-person AI Workshop. Whether you're a newbie or a tech enthusiast, this is the perfect place to learn, experiment, and connect with like-minded folks. Don't miss out on hands-on sessions, cool demos, and great conversations. See you there! TO REGISTER - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1984517585520?aff=oddtdtcreator Seema Alexander, Founder & CEO, Disruptive AI Hour 1 — Understanding the Moment ● Why AI is bigger than a tech trend ● The “Yes-And” era: optimize AND reimagine ● AI fluency for non-technical leaders ● Automation vs. agents vs. intelligent systems ● What this means for students, small businesses, and women building in this moment Hour 2 — Interactive AI Fluency Lab ● Live exercises to solve real world problems with learned AI concepts ● Audience-driven experimentation ● Small-group collaboration ● Frameworks attendees can immediately apply ● Group pitches Strategic AI Tool Exposure (1 Hour) Led by Marcus Finley, Chief AI Officer, Disruptive AI (or designated team member) Participants will experience powerful AI tools in real time, including: ● Business productivity AI ● Creative AI applications ● Workflow-enhancing AI systems This is a guided demo + interactive environment. Attendees follow along on laptops. PART III — Vibe Coding Intensive (2 Hours) Led by Addie Cruz, CEO of Clarity App & Vibe Coding Platform Ambassador This session demystifies building. Participants will: ● Explore vibe coding platforms ● Build simple, functional AI-driven outputs ● Learn beginner-friendly creation techniques ● Gain confidence experimenting with AI tools This is hands-on. Every attendee must bring a laptop.

Title: Potential Applications of Negative Radiation Pressure in Astronomy, Medicine and 2WQC Date: April 19 2026 10:00 am - Noon EDT (16:00 - 18:00 CET) Abstract: While we are used to heating and pushing with light, there is also optical cooling and pulling. I will talk about negative radiation pressure, potential ways to generate it, and its novel applications, like non-ionizing medical scanners, 2WQC (two-way quantum computers) in theory solving NP problems, also potential astronomical sources and their observation. Speaker: Dr Jarek Duda is an assistant professor at Jagiellonian University. He holds degrees in computer science (PhD), mathematics (MSc) and physics (PhD). He is mainly focused on physics foundations, information theory, statistical analysis, and is known for introduction of asymmetric numeral systems.

Please join and other invited speakers to hear a presentation on investing basics. Topics to be discussed will include an overview of asset allocation, diversification, market volatility, tax efficient accounts, and general income strategies. Refreshments and Hors D’oeuvres will be served. Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-serve basis. To reserve your spot, please RSVP today to your financial advisor. We look forward to seeing you!

Security cleared professionals please join us for the in-person All Clearances Cleared Job Fair, Thursday, April 16, from 2pm – 5.30pm at the Westin Tysons Corner. Whether you’re between contracts, transitioning out of the military / government, or just casually looking around, please join us for this in-person event. Our hiring employers include Amentum, Applied Research Laboratory at the Penn State University, AT&T, Core4ce, E-infosol, Leidos, PCI Federal, PingWind, System High, Teksynap, Tom Sawyer Software and more. Opportunities for Intel, Program and Project Managers, Data Scientists, Cyber, Geospatial, Malware Analysts, Malware Programmers, Software Engineers and Developers, CNO Engineers and Analysts, Database Administrators, System Administrators, Software and Application Developers, Network Designers and Engineers, Help Desk, Trainers and more. For more info and to pre-register visit: [https://clearedjobs.net/events/all-clearances-cleared-job-fair-westin-7801-leesburg-pike-falls-church-virginia-8?utm_source=event+posting+april+16%2C+2026&utm_medium=share&utm_campaign=job+fair&utm_term=april+16%2C+2026](https://clearedjobs.net/events/all-clearances-cleared-job-fair-westin-7801-leesburg-pike-falls-church-virginia-8?utm_source=event+posting+april+16%2C+2026&utm_medium=share&utm_campaign=job+fair&utm_term=april+16%2C+2026)

Want to be a speaker? submit your talk to our Call for Presenters!!! https://sessionize.com/cbus-hug-2026/

AI is changing how art is made. But when does it stop being your work and start being the machine’s? This month we're going to be doing a panel with with digital image, music, and written word artists, talking about at what point, while using AI in the creation process, does the work become not the artist creation? We encourage audience participation during this event that will be moderated by Chris Slee. Whether you’re deep in the field or just getting curious, come connect with others building and exploring AI in Columbus. Sponsored by [Transform Labs](https://www.transformlabs.com/services) Sign up also accessible via [Transform Labs Luma](https://luma.com/55umjqta)

Our next much-awaited **COLUMBUS** meetup is **Tuesday April 21 from 7-10 pm EST at ACE OF CUPS**. Meet patients, cultivators, processors, dispensary managers/staff, physicians, home growers, educators, activists, nonprofits, artists, attorneys, business owners, writers, students, and supporters to network, share our knowledge, collaborate, support each other and make new ones! Hope you will be there too! Save the date and pass the word. **Please RSVP** so we know who is coming and how many to expect. Find us to say hi and we will introduce you to others. We should be easy to spot. (The happy-looking group wearing cool nametags! See photos from our past events.) Sign in, grab a name tag, start your own bar/food tab, meet old friends and make new ones! Everyone is welcome. SEE YOU THERE!

This month's prompt concerns the idea of the “warrior philosopher” (seemed appropriate in these times)--that is someone whose understanding of violence, power, and justice is forged through direct experience of war. We are looking at Major General Smedley D. Butler, a highly decorated U.S. Marine raised in a Quaker (pacifist) tradition who later became a prominent critic of American militarism (there is a wonderful biography of Gen. Butler called "Gangsters of Capitalism") Butler's argument in *War Is a Racket* (1935): that many U.S. interventions were driven less by national defense than by corporate and financial interests, with Butler portraying himself as an enforcer for business and Wall Street. We can consider the moral ambiguity of his insider critique—whether complicity strengthens or undermines credibility and also consider some of the concrete reforms he proposed (e.g., “conscript” capital before soldiers, restrict the military to coastal defense, and have only those who fight decide on war). Butler’s life arc clearly changed from pacifist upbringing to warrior to antiwar crusader—and asks whether true understanding of peace requires firsthand knowledge of war, and what that implies about the cost of suffering. So do we need to suffer to understand suffering? Do we have to experience war to appreciate peace? As one more question: in the movie "A Few Good Men" Jack Nicholson's character says that "you have the luxury of not knowing what I know" so do most of us go through life oblivious to real violence and suffering? See you at Drunken Philosophy!

Please see below for details of our April 15 event. Visit our [Eventbrite](https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/owasp-toronto-april-2026-tickets-1986283430209) page to RSVP! APIs power virtually every web and mobile application, accounting for over 80% of all Internet traffic. And APIs are under attack. Gartner states APIs have become the “most frequent attack vector," resulting in hundreds of highly successful, high profile breaches. This API security presentation covers 1) why attackers love APIs, 2) real-world breaches (and how they map to the OWASP API Security Top 10), and 3) best practices to keep APIs secure.

**Improving Office in Franklinton** Physical location: Improving Office 330 Rush Alley Suite #150 Columbus, OH 43215 Schedule: 6:00 p.m.: Socialize, eat, and drink. Improving will be providing pizza and beverages. 6:30 to 8:00 pm. Main meeting and presentation(s). Topic: This month Chris Pazsint will be talking about Agentic Coding. How does one use CLI Based Agents, and Agentic IDEs such as Cursor, Kiro, Antigravity? How to include agentic coding plugins for IDEs you already love such as Visual Studio Code. We meet on the last Monday of each Month. Presentations are given by members and friends of this group. If you would like to do a presentation (small or large) on a python topic, please contact Central OH Python at centralohpython@gmail.com

**Let’s catch up and take an afternoon break.** **Grab a coffee or snack and let’s chit chat! Gayle and I will bring adult coloring books and/or a simple craft if you’d like to unwind and relax.😊**