cyberattack

noun

cy·​ber·​at·​tack ˈsī-bər-ə-ˌtak 

plural cyberattacks

: an attempt to gain illegal access to a computer or computer system for the purpose of causing damage or harm

An undermine-first strategy allows the United States government to intrude into adversaries' systems, exploiting this covert access to gather intelligence and occasionally to deliver a destructive cyberattack.

—Joshua A. Kroll

If your data is valuable enough, there is almost nothing you can do to provide total security against an expert adversary. Simply put, the attacker may be smarter than anyone you have defending the network. Cyberattacks are not only impossible to block, they're often difficult to detect; you may not even know you're under attack in the first place.

—Robert W. Lucky

cyberattacker

ˈsī-bər-ə-ˌta-kər 

noun

plural cyberattackers

Cyberattackers constantly evolve their skills and will always find new ways to attack—it's not a question of "if," but of "when."

—Eileen Dignen

Examples of cyberattack in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Stop cyberattacks in their tracks by concealing your home and IP address. —Stackcommerce Team (sponsored), PCMAG, 13 Feb. 2025

The court last year suffered a major cyberattack that left employees unable to access files for weeks. —Darlene Superville, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2025

Rahul Mukherjee Jan 10, 2025 - Technology How a ransomware attack works One of the most devastating types of cyberattack companies face today has been around for decades — and its perpetrators have hardly had to innovate to stay profitable. —Sam Sabin, Axios, 7 Feb. 2025

So far, at least four local schools — with a combined enrollment of 3,000 students — have been identified as being ensnared in the cyberattack. —Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1996, in the meaning defined above