“This paper explores a research question about whether defensive and offensive cyber security power and the capabilities to exercise the power influence the incentives of nation-states to participate in bilateral and multilateral cooperation (BMC) through formal and informal agreements, alliances, and norms. Drawing from international relations in general and structural real- ism in particular, three hypotheses are presented for assessing the research question empirically: (i) increasing cyber capability lessens the incentives for BMC; (ii) actively demonstrating and exerting cyber power decreases the willingness for BMC; and (iii) small states prefer BMC for cyber security and politics thereto. According to a cross-country dataset of 29 countries, all three hypotheses are rejected. Although presenting a “negative result” with respect to the research question, the accompanying discussion contributes to the state- centric cyber security research in international relations and political science.”
