Global stability is more precarious than at any time since the end of the cold war. At the same time, the mass proliferation of digital weapons, including destructive wiper malware, is lending new meaning to asymmetric capabilities. Unsurprisingly, some states are empirically more conflict prone than others, and it is these interstate rivalries that exhibit a higher propensity to use destructive wiper malware. Within this strategic backdrop, we’ll walk through the evolution of wiper malware through a series of real-world examples of its role in interstate rivalries. This includes both the technical features and modes of compromise, as well as its strategic effects and key role in escalating tensions between these conflict-prone states. We’ll conclude with an interactive discussion of the evolution and integration of wiper malware with ransomware, as well as what the proliferation of these digital weapons forebodes for geopolitical rivalries and future conflict.