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Defense Intelligence Agency director Michael T. Flynn reflected on the role of the DIA in U.S. security at the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum Tuesday evening.

Flynn, who has served as the director since 2012, said that urbanization and population growth have altered the scale and scope of the nation’s security challenges in recent decades.

“There are going to be large numbers of people in locations where there is not the strength of institutions that we take for granted in this country,” said Flynn, estimating that close to 10 billion people will populate the world within the next few decades.

David E. Sanger ’82, a senior writer for the New York Times and former Crimson editor, moderated the forum, asking Flynn questions about former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden.

Flynn expounded upon the leaks from the past year, emphasizing the institution’s focus on identifying and tagging individuals behind intelligence breaches.

“I thought it was really fascinating because a lot of people think cyberattacks are these kind of computer-manifested problems,” said Avika Dua ’17. “It’s more about understanding actual humans’ intentions and capabilities, rather than the computer.”

Flynn also commented on the post-Arab Spring era in the Middle East and its effect on the already tense discourse with the U.S. He doubted a forthcoming U.S. resolution, noting that civil and regional conflict is something that will continue into the future.