No shortcuts: why states struggle to develop a military cyber-force.

The article discusses the book "No Shortcuts" by Max Smeets, which examines the role of cyber capabilities in interstate warfare and the factors that limit their effective use by states. Smeets argues that despite many countries claiming to have military cyber branches, only a few, such as the United States, Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea, actively engage in cyber operations. He introduces a typology of cyber actors and the PETIO framework (people, exploits, toolsets, infrastructure, and organizational structure) to analyze the prerequisites for effective offensive cyber capabilities. While the book provides valuable insights into the complexities of cyber military organizations, it also has some limitations, such as a lack of detailed comparisons between different states' organizational structures and a need for deeper exploration of the sociological aspects of cyber operations. Overall, the book is deemed insightful for scholars, policymakers, and observers interested in cyber conflict. [Extracted from the article]