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
Joshua A. KrollIf 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
Robert W. Lucky
cyberattacker
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
Eileen Dignen
Examples of cyberattack in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Moscow's probing is mostly focused on information attacks, GPS jamming, cyberattacks and mass migration, Virtanen said.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
The Office of the National Cyber Director documented an alarming increase in cyberattacks against critical infrastructure in their May 2024 report on U.S. cybersecurity posture.
—Chloe Demrovsky, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Adding to the spotlight on cybersecurity, China has accused the U.S. National Security Agency of carrying out cyberattacks against its Asian Winter Games earlier this year in February.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 15 Apr. 2025
Last month, the EU Commission urged its 450 million citizens to stockpile enough food, water and essentials for 72 hours in the event of emergencies like cyberattacks, climate disasters, disease and also geopolitical conflicts.
—Vivian Song, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2025
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Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
The Office of the National Cyber Director documented an alarming increase in cyberattacks against critical infrastructure in their May 2024 report on U.S. cybersecurity posture.
—Chloe Demrovsky, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Adding to the spotlight on cybersecurity, China has accused the U.S. National Security Agency of carrying out cyberattacks against its Asian Winter Games earlier this year in February.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 15 Apr. 2025
Last month, the EU Commission urged its 450 million citizens to stockpile enough food, water and essentials for 72 hours in the event of emergencies like cyberattacks, climate disasters, disease and also geopolitical conflicts.
—Vivian Song, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cyberattack
Cite this Entry
“Cyberattack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cyberattack. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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