“In recent years, scholars, commentators, and politicians have discussed the prospect of a ‘cyber security dilemma’. If states race to develop superior cyberattacks, how far might this escalate? This study applies a Neoclassical Realist framework to analyze the systemic and societal cues that influence escalation in cyber warfare. The findings suggest that fears of escalation to kinetic war are largely unfounded but highlight how cyber operations targeting political survival may provoke unexpected responses.” – Carly Beckerman
