Cyberattacks represent a persistent and complex challenge for states, corporations, and individuals. Despite years of effort, the continued frequency and impact of malicious cyber activity suggests that no effective approach to “cyber deterrence” has yet been established. There is a long-running debate among academics and policy experts about the applicability of traditional concepts of deterrence to the cyber domain. However, there is growing consensus that some characteristics of cyber operations and capabilities render many traditional approaches to deterrence inadequate or inapplicable. These limitations create a broad lack of accountability for cyberattacks and malicious activity. As a result, there is an urgent need to identify practical and actor-specific means to deter such activity.
The Stimson Center’s Cyber Program is working to advance practical understandings of cyber deterrence, including in relation to concepts of accountability, to develop more effective policy approaches to deterring malicious cyber activities in the U.S. and globally. This project builds on the Cyber Accountability project, as well as the work of the Defense Strategy and Planning Project team on deterrence.
The project is jointly implemented by the Cyber Program and the Defense Strategy and Planning Project team.
