The expanding use of cyber operations amid broadening geopolitical instability has implications for traditional middle powers, notably Canada, Australia, Nor¬way, and the Netherlands, among others. They occupy privileged positions at the core of the global political economy but have limited ability to shape the geopolitical envi-ronment and few resources to protect and project their national interests. Many of the world’s most influential middle powers are also longstanding U.S. allies, have high levels of digital connectivity, strong knowledge-based economies, leading research institutions, and membership in coveted multilateral groupings and security alliances. Compound¬ed by their hard-power resource constraints, for adversaries, middle powers represent low-risk, high-reward targets for exploitation in cyberspace. Middle powers thus have strong incentives but limited capacity to prevent the cyber-enabled degradation of their sovereignty, stabil¬ity, and economic competitiveness.
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