A Playbook for Winning the Cyber War

Could the United States win a cyber war? This series explores the future of cyber warfare, examining how the United States and its adversaries—Russia, China, and Iran—wage war in the cyber domain.

Cyber operations are already a central feature of global competition. To address this new reality, CSIS’s Intelligence, National Security, and Technology Program announces a seven-part series that shows how the United States can outmaneuver its rivals and win.

Drawing on in-depth research, a series of wargames, and hundreds of interviews of experts around the globe, the project underscores the widening gap between how Washington and its adversaries approach cyber competition. Adversaries are far more willing to push the envelope with offensive cyber tools, while U.S. policymakers lack clarity or a coherent strategy on how cyber fits within the broader foreign policy toolkit. 

The final chapter lays out a practical playbook for policymakers to get from today’s gaps to tomorrow’s strength. It urges stronger defenses at home and provides a roadmap for fully integrating cyber operations. The United States needs urgency, clarity, and resolve, so it can regain the upper hand in a domain where it cannot afford to lose. 

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A Playbook for Winning the Cyber War: Part 7: How the United States Can Win

A new era of cyber power needs a new way of thinking and new actions to back it up. This playbook offers a bold framework to reshape U.S. cyber policy, laying out concrete steps to close the gap between the United States and its adversaries in the cyber domain.

Report by Emily Harding, Julia Dickson, and Aosheng Pusztaszeri — September 4, 2025

A Playbook for Winning the Cyber War: Part 2: Evaluating Russia’s Cyber Strategy

The principal goals driving Russia’s cyber strategy across the spectrum of conflict are clear: disruption, destruction, and control of information. Russia is a leader in cyber activity, and its cyber operations pose a serious threat to the United States and its allies.

Report by Julia Dickson and Emily Harding — September 4, 2025

A Playbook for Winning the Cyber War: Part 5: Evaluating U.S. Cyber Strategy

The United States is generally accepted as among the most effective offensive cyber actors on the planet. This offensive skill, however, is counterbalanced by a potentially deadly weakness: a huge attack surface and weak domestic defense.

Report by Emily Harding, Aosheng Pusztaszeri, and Julia Dickson — September 4, 2025

A Playbook for Winning the Cyber War: Part 1: Executive Summary

The United States has been losing a cyber war it didn’t know it was fighting. To reverse this trend line and make full use of its strengths, Washington needs a new way of thinking about cyber conflict, national security tools, and the spectrum of war and peace.

Report by Emily Harding, Julia Dickson, and Aosheng Pusztaszeri — September 4, 2025