Cyberattacks are increasingly becoming a preferred tool in international conflicts for several compelling reasons, offering advantages that traditional kinetic warfare often lacks:

1. Lower Threshold for Engagement (Grey Zone Warfare):

   • Plausible Deniability: It's incredibly difficult to definitively attribute a cyberattack to a specific state actor. Attackers can use proxies, false flags, and complex digital pathways to mask their identity, making it hard to prove who is responsible. This "plausible deniability" allows states to engage in aggressive actions without triggering an overt military response or risking a full-blown conventional war.

   • Below the Threshold of Armed Conflict: Many cyberattacks (e.g., espionage, propaganda campaigns, minor disruptions) fall below the traditional definition of "armed attack" or "use of force" in international law. This means states can conduct significant harm or gain strategic advantages without crossing a line that would typically justify a military retaliation.

2. Cost-Effectiveness and Accessibility:

   • Cheaper to Execute: Compared to deploying troops, tanks, ships, and aircraft, launching a cyberattack can be relatively inexpensive. It primarily requires skilled personnel and specialized software, not billions in hardware. This makes cyber capabilities accessible to a wider range of state and non-state actors, leveling the playing field to some extent.

   • High Return on Investment: A well-executed cyberattack can cause massive economic disruption, societal chaos, or intelligence gains with minimal financial outlay for the attacker.

3. Lack of Physical Destruction and Direct Casualties:

   • "Bloodless" Warfare (Initially): Unlike traditional warfare, cyberattacks generally don't result in immediate physical destruction or loss of life. This can make them more palatable for decision-makers who want to exert pressure or gain an advantage without the political and human cost of kinetic conflict.

   • Indirect but Potent Impact: While not causing immediate physical harm, cyberattacks can have profound indirect physical and societal consequences, such as disrupting critical infrastructure (power, water, healthcare), crippling financial systems, or undermining democratic processes. The effects can be just as devastating, albeit delayed or less visible.

4. Strategic Advantages and Asymmetric Warfare:

   • Cyber Espionage: This is a core reason for state-sponsored hacking. Gaining intelligence on an adversary's military plans, economic strategies, political intentions, and technological vulnerabilities provides immense strategic advantage.

   • Disruption and Sabotage: Cyberattacks can disrupt an adversary's command and control systems, logistics, communication networks, and critical national infrastructure, weakening their ability to function effectively in both peacetime and conflict.

   • Information Warfare/Cognitive Warfare: Cyber tools are powerful for spreading disinformation, propaganda, and manipulating public opinion. This can sow discord, undermine trust in institutions, and influence elections or political processes, creating internal instability within an adversary.

   • Preparation for Kinetic Attacks: Cyberattacks can be used to "soften" a target before a conventional military strike, disabling air defenses, communication networks, or logistical systems.

5. Speed, Reach, and Stealth:

   • Global Reach: Cyberattacks can be launched from anywhere in the world against targets anywhere else, transcending geographical boundaries.

   • Speed of Execution: Digital attacks can unfold much faster than traditional military deployments.

   • Stealth and Persistence: Sophisticated cyberattacks can remain undetected within a target's network for months or even years, allowing for prolonged espionage or the establishment of "backdoors" for future use.

6. Reliance on Digital Infrastructure:

   • Modern societies, especially developed nations, are deeply reliant on interconnected digital systems for everything from finance and energy to transportation and healthcare. This increased reliance creates a vast attack surface and numerous vulnerabilities that cyber adversaries can exploit.

While cyberattacks offer significant advantages, it's crucial to remember they are often used in conjunction with other forms of influence and power projection, as part of "hybrid warfare." The global interconnectedness, the difficulty of clear attribution, and the potentially severe, yet non-kinetic, impacts make cyberattacks an increasingly attractive and dangerous instrument in the arena of international relations.