Cyber campaigns and strategic outcomes

While much focus has remained on the concept of cyberwar, what we have been observing in actual cyber behaviour are campaigns comprised of linked cyber operations, with the specific objective of achieving strategic outcomes without the need of armed attack. These campaigns are not simply transitory...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of strategic studies Vol. 45; no. 4; pp. 534 - 567
Main Authors Harknett, Richard J., Smeets, Max
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published London Routledge 07.06.2022
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Subjects
Campaigns
China
Coercion
cyber campaigns
cyber espionage
cyber operations
Cyberwar
Electronic warfare
Internet
Presumption
Russia
Tactics
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Summary:While much focus has remained on the concept of cyberwar, what we have been observing in actual cyber behaviour are campaigns comprised of linked cyber operations, with the specific objective of achieving strategic outcomes without the need of armed attack. These campaigns are not simply transitory clever tactics, but strategic in intent. This article examines strategic cyber competition and reveals how the adoption of a different construct can pivot both explanation and policy prescription. Strategy must be unshackled from the presumption that it deals only with the realm of coercion, militarised crisis, and war in cyberspace.
ISSN:0140-2390
1743-937X
DOI:10.1080/01402390.2020.1732354