Career & Domain Expertise
Two Decades at the Intersection of Intelligence, Security & AI
Chris Cooley is a senior cybersecurity leader and intelligence practitioner with nearly two decades of experience spanning U.S. military intelligence, federal civilian agencies, and Fortune 500 enterprise security. He has built and led cyber intelligence programs from the ground up across government, defense, and private-sector environments, with a track record of transforming raw data into decisive, executive-level action.
An Associate C|CISO, Army veteran, and published co-author, Chris operates at the intersection of intelligence tradecraft, security operations, AI integration, and strategic leadership. He has partnered with organizations including the FBI, DHS, the Center for Internet Security/MS-ISAC, NATO, and major financial institutions to advance the way threats are understood, tracked, and stopped. He is also the creator of the AICI Standard — a framework for responsibly integrating AI into intelligence workflows. In 2019, he started the Center for Cyber Intelligence — an independent initiative to advance intelligence practices across the cybersecurity community through the open-source Cyber Intelligence Framework™.
Domain Expertise
Cyber Threat Intelligence
Chris builds and leads CTI programs that translate raw intelligence into actionable reporting that executives and operators can act on. He's done this across Fortune 500 financial institutions, federal agencies, and global enterprises operating in 110+ countries — using OSINT, HUMINT fusion, threat actor profiling, and other tradecraft.
Core SpecialtyIntelligence Program Management
He’s built intelligence programs from scratch more than once — defining the mission, hiring the team, setting KPIs, and standing up the workflows. He's managed multi-million-dollar budgets and reported directly to C-suite executives and senior government leadership.
Core SpecialtyInsider Threat Operations
Chris develops and runs insider threat programs that integrate behavioral analytics, HR policy, legal frameworks, and cross-departmental coordination. At DHS/USCIS, he led Insider Threat Operations covering both detection and adjudication in classified environments.
Deep ExperienceSecurity Operations
From SOC design to detection engineering to continuous monitoring at scale — Chris has built these capabilities for enterprise environments. At the Center for Internet Security/MS-ISAC, he coordinated real-time incident reporting for state, local, tribal, and territorial governments nationwide.
Deep ExperienceIncident Response
Chris leads cross-functional response teams through complex security incidents — from initial detection through remediation and lessons learned. He’s built IR programs alongside CTI and vulnerability management for Fortune 500 and federal clients.
Deep ExperienceThreat Actor Profiling & Attribution
Deep adversary research — TTPs, attribution, campaign tracking, and strategic threat assessments. Chris has profiled nation-state actors from China, North Korea, and other APT groups. His threat actor analysis directly contributed to an FBI-led investigation that resulted in a criminal arrest.
Deep ExperienceRisk Analysis & Compliance
Chris has managed compliance programs across ISO 27001, GDPR, NIST CSF, NIST RMF, SOC II Type 2, and DHS-specific mandates. In a VP-level security role, he achieved 100% SOC II Type 2 compliance with no exceptions.
Applied KnowledgeApplied Intelligence & Data Science
Chris applies intelligence tradecraft to problems beyond traditional cybersecurity — public health, disinformation, and special operations support. He’s built Python and R tools for data collection, mapping, and analysis, including a COVID-19 mapping platform used by the NY Army National Guard and applications for USASOC.
Applied KnowledgePandemic Intelligence
Chris applied military intelligence methodology to public health emergency response — a first for the field. He directed the COVID-19 Intelligence Section for the New York Joint Task Force and co-authored a peer-reviewed publication on the effort.
Applied KnowledgeCareer Highlights & Achievements
Featured Achievement
Intelligence That Sent Someone to Prison
In the course of his professional duties, Chris conducted threat actor analysis and provided it to the FBI — contributing to an investigation that resulted in the arrest and criminal prosecution of a cyber threat actor. It is one of the few documented cases in which a private sector analyst directly supported a federal criminal case.
Featured Achievement
A Peer-Reviewed First for the Field
When the U.S. Army activated Chris's unit for COVID-19 emergency response in New York, he didn't just execute — he built an intelligence-driven data science program. He developed an automated infection mapping platform using Python and R, directed the Joint Task Force's intelligence section, and co-authored "Role of Military Forces in the New York State Response to COVID-19," a peer-reviewed military journal publication that applied intelligence tradecraft to public health for the first time from a cybersecurity practitioner's perspective.
Built the Framework. Then Gave It Away.
The Center for Cyber Intelligence (CCI) started with a straightforward frustration: cyber intelligence, as a discipline, lacks the formal tradecraft and standards that traditional intelligence has had for decades. Too much of what passes for "cyber intelligence" is vendor-driven noise dressed up as analysis. CCI is Chris’s personal effort to change that. He developed the Cyber Intelligence Framework™ — an open-source, vendor-agnostic model for how organizations should actually think about and operationalize intelligence — and released it to the community. No product attached. No monetization. Just the work.
19 Years of Dual Commitment
For nearly two decades, Chris has served in the U.S. Army National Guard, rising through the ranks to Sergeant First Class as a Master Intelligence Analyst — not as a backstory, but concurrently with a full private-sector career. While building CTI programs at Credit Suisse, Raytheon, Fortune 500 companies, and Federal agencies by day, he is also a soldier.
Combat Zone Intelligence for Special Operations
Chris served in Afghanistan as a civilian intelligence professional supporting Special Operations Joint Task Force - Afghanistan (SOJTF-A) and NATO Special Operations Component Command - Afghanistan (NSOCC-A), providing threat assessments and all-source intelligence that influenced senior decision-making at the RESOLUTE SUPPORT General Staff level.
Cyber Intelligence at the Federal Level — Right Now
Chris currently leads a multi-disciplinary intelligence operations program supporting DHS U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), overseeing teams across Cyber Threat Intelligence, Applied Intelligence, Intelligence Analysis, and Insider Threat Operations. The program operates across classified and open-source domains, tracking nation-state actors, cybercriminal networks, and insider threats targeting federal assets.
Career Timeline
U.S. Army National Guard — Sergeant First Class (E-7), Master Intelligence Analyst
Aug 2007 – Present · New York · Kuwait (OEF 2012–2013)
NCOIC, Joint Task Force COVID-19 Intelligence Section: managed statewide intelligence operations for NY; built automated multi-source infection mapping platform (Python/R) fusing 100+ medical, law enforcement, and social media feeds — enabling early detection of COVID-19 hot spots. Honor Graduate, U.S. Army Military Intelligence Academy; 3× Army Commendation Medal; 4× Army Achievement Medal.
Aretec, Inc. → DHS/USCIS
Nov 2025 – Present
Cyber Intelligence & Insider Threat Program Lead
Camp Springs, MD
Zachary Piper Solutions → DHS/USCIS
Dec 2024 – Nov 2025
Cyber Intelligence & Insider Threat Program Lead
Camp Springs, MD
Insight Global → USSOCOM
Jul 2024 – Nov 2024
Data Analyst, Intelligence Processing
Fayetteville, NC
E2G | The Equity Engineering Group
Jan 2024 – May 2024
Vice President, Information Security
Raleigh-Durham, NC
Alcor Solutions → Global Fortune 500 Client
May 2022 – Jan 2024
Senior Manager, CTI → Senior Program Manager, Global Cybersecurity Compliance
Raleigh, NC
Defense Point Security & Raytheon → USPS
Dec 2018 – Apr 2022
Senior Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyst
Raleigh-Durham, NC
BTS Software Solutions
Jun 2018 – Oct 2018
All-Source Intelligence Analyst
Afghanistan
TEKsystems → Credit Suisse
May 2017 – Jun 2018
Vice President, Cyber Threat Intelligence Product Manager
Raleigh-Durham, NC
Center for Internet Security (MS-ISAC)
Feb 2015 – Apr 2017
Cyber Intelligence Analyst → Security Operations Analyst
East Greenbush, NY
Skills & Tools
Intelligence & Analysis
Security Operations
Program & People Leadership
Compliance & Frameworks
Technology & Platforms
Partnerships & Ecosystems
Education & Certifications
Education
Berklee College of Music
BA, Music Production · 2021 – Present
Cochise College
AOS, Military Intelligence Operations · 2007 – 2008
Publications
Role of Military Forces in the New York State Response to COVID-19 — Military/Medical Journal Co-Author
Cyber Extortion: An Industry Hot Topic
MS-ISAC Security Primer: Cyber Threat Actor — Ghostly
MS-ISAC Security Primer: The Deep Web
Understanding Hacktivists: A Guide for State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Governments
Frequently Asked Questions
Interested in working together?
Available for cyber intelligence consulting, advisory, and speaking.