Persistent Engagement Neglects Secrecy at Its Peril
Author(s): Lennart Maschmeyer
Publisher(s): Lawfare
Publication Year: 2020
While the US is changing its cyber strategy towards persistent engagement, much debate among scholars and practitioners has focused on the lack of clarity concerning the strategy’s implementation and the resulting risks of unintended consequences. Some analysts have argued that persistent engagement could provoke escalation due to misperception. Others claim it may cause friction with allies. In this article, CSS senior researcher Lennart Maschmeyer instead addresses the underlying theory of the strategy and outlines why secrecy is crucial to it for three key reasons.