Introduction: Measurement and meaning in the study of cyber conflict

This special issue on empirical approaches to cyber conflict aims to “prime the pump” in advancing how researchers measure and interpret cyber conflict dynamics. We present a carefully selected set of scholarly articles that apply modern social science methods to analyze why and how states interact in cyberspace. This introduction highlights the main challenges facing cyber conflict research today and summarizes the contributions of the included articles. While many obstacles remain, the studies showcased here demonstrate significant progress in extracting empirical insights regarding the causes and consequences of cyber operations from complex, multi-causal, and often obscured settings in global politics. This progress reflects a broader, emerging scientific agenda in cybersecurity studies within the larger disciplines of Political Science and International Relations.