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

Because of the lack of centralized control, open models present distinct governance challenges—particularly in relation to the most extreme risks that future AI systems could pose, such as empowering bioterrorists or enhancing cyberattacks. —Tharin Pillay, TIME, 5 Nov. 2024

Palau is one of only 12 countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, and Whipps has said China’s move to bar tourist groups from traveling to Palau, and a cyberattack in March, are examples of pressure from Beijing to switch ties. —Reuters, NBC News, 5 Nov. 2024

The Cactus ransomware gang has claimed responsibility for a cyberattack that reportedly exfiltrated nearly 900GB of sensitive data from the organization. —Lars Daniel, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024

Yeah, this was a cyberattack that affected almost half of all fuel consumed on the East Coast. —Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1996, in the meaning defined above