Cyber realities are changing faster than many policymakers and academics can keep up with. New technologies are constantly being introduced and new norms are regularly being developed that affect how states and organizations operate. This new normal is defying conventional wisdom and challenging the basic assumptions of prominent international relations theories. The Cyber Issue is an attempt to cut through the noise and offer sober analysis on the most critical problems.
The research and opinions found in these pages were developed against a contentious backdrop of high-profile news stories. Fears were high that outside powers and individuals could influence the U.S. presidential election, heated debates continued over the right balance between security and privacy, and hack-ers targeted global businesses and media outlets and disrupted Internet service in countries around the world, from the United States to Liberia.