Foreign Policy Responses to International Cyber-attacks

How could foreign policy instruments be helpful in responding to major cyber-attacks? This policy brief provides a first exploration of this topic by investigating five cases of international cyber-attacks which had a great deal of societal impact. What role did foreign policy instruments play in the responses to these cyber-attacks, and how can we evaluate their role in hindsight?

The policy brief concludes that, although cyber technicians will always be in the lead when a massive cyber-attack occurs, foreign policy instruments such as diplomatic communication, warnings, and sanctions could contribute to limiting the damage of a cyber-attack as well.