There were two other factors that likely shaped how the cyber war played out. The first was that cyber has long been the right tool for “short-of-war” conflicts, when the objective is to undercut or influence an adversary without triggering a full-on war. But when the shooting starts, the utility of modern cyberweapons can wane. There is often not enough time, or enough access to networks, to use it effectively. Why spend months seeking the perfect entrée into the electric power grid, and figuring out what code might shut it down, when you can aim a missile directly at the power plant?
