Cyber Mercenaries

'The cyber revolution is accelerating the diffusion of power in global politics. Non-state actors are increasingly important, but they form a complex set of alliances and arrangements with governments. Some are proxies for government on a tight leash; some virtually roam free. Tim Maurer continues his pioneering work on cyber politics with this important exploration of cyber mercenaries.' Joseph S. Nye, University Distinguished Service Professor at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and author of The Future of Power

'Anyone who wants a thorough understanding of cyber operations, including proxies, must read this book. Maurer is an investigative scientist and provides the first blow-by-blow account of real cyber operations that use proxies. He uncovers new information about existing proxy relationships between nations, what feeds the proxy relationship, and how countries differ in how proxies are used in a depth never seen before. If you're going to read one book on offensive cyber, read this one.' David Brumley, Director of CyLab at Carnegie Mellon University, and Winner of DARPA's Cyber Grand Challenge

'Cyber Mercenaries is a very timely book focusing on cyber proxies - subjects often hidden behind the wall of government secrecy while playing an increasingly important and visible in cyber operations. States have a long history of using conventional proxies, cyber proxies are 'the newest kids on the block'. Based on academic research and case studies, Tim Maurer addresses the capabilities of cyber proxies, the different types of cyber proxies and their relationships with states in the manner that is both very insightful and catching for policy makers, practitioners of international relations, academia, experts and citizens alike.' Marina Kaljurand, Chair of the Global Commission on the Stability of Cyberspace and served as the Foreign Minister of Estonia from 2015-2016

'Authoritarian regimes, like China, Russia, and Iran like to hide their tracks in the digital wilderness by outsourcing cyber espionage operations to the criminal underworld. Others prefer to keep a tight leash, but still employ hundreds of contractors to aid their strategic ambitions. Tim Maurer's Cyber Mercenaries offers the first systematic scholarly treatment of how and why governments use proxies to do their bidding in cyberspace. Weaving together high-level theories and historical analogies with highly detailed case studies, Maurer's book helps illuminate how governments maneuver for influence in cyberspace today. A must read for scholars and students alike.' Ron Deibert, Director of the Citizen Lab at the Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto

'Tim Maurer's Cyber Mercenaries is a comprehensive and cogent description of how nation-states engage proxy actors to carry out cyber-based espionage, information operations, and even acts of destruction. Combining deep research with compelling analysis, Maurer demonstrates that this incr...

Tim Maurer co-directs the Cyber Policy Initiative at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He is a member of several US track 1.5 cyber dialogues and the Freedom Online Coalition's cybersecurity working group. He co-chaired the Advisory Board of the 2015 Global Conference on CyberSpace, participated in the Global Commission on Internet Governance, and supported the confidence-building work of the OSCE. His work has been published by Foreign Policy, The Washington Post, TIME, Jane's Intelligence Review, CNN, Slate, Lawfare, and other academic and media venues. He holds a Master's in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.

Part I. Of Brokers and Proxies: 1. Cyber proxies: an introduction; 2. Proxies: an instrument of power since ancient times; 3. Cyber power: geopolitics and human rights; Part II. Cyber Proxies Up Close: 4. Cyber proxies on a tight leash: the United States; 5. Cyber proxies on a loose leash: Iran and Syria; 6. Cyber proxies on the loose: the former Soviet Union; 7. Change over time: China's evolving relationships with cyber proxies; Part III. Implications: 8. The theory: state responsibility and cyber proxies; 9. The practice: shaping cyber proxy relationships; 10. Conclusion: cyber proxies, the future, and suggestions for further research; Future research; Notes.