cyber defense

noun

variants or less commonly cyberdefense

ˈsī-bər-di-ˌfen(t)s 

plural cyber defenses also cyberdefenses

1

: steps or measures taken to protect online resources (such as a computer network or database) against unauthorized access or attack : cybersecurity

… the cost of cyberattacks—from business disruption and lost data to system downtime, damage to your company's reputation and even legal liability—is higher than ever. Cyber defense needs to be a major component of your business strategy.

—Chron.com

Officials said that while traditionally cities and local governments took an independent approach to cyber defense and protecting technology, "acting alone is no longer optimal."

—Zak Failla

State lawmakers similarly have cyberdefense in focus, allocating approximately $18 million of a $64.1 billion supplemental budget package toward higher education cybersecurity training programs.

—Greg Mason

2

: the capability to resist cyberattacks

The behavior of employees is also critical for an organization's cyber defense since 82% of data breaches in 2021 involved a "human element."

—Parvinder Walia

3

cyber defenses also cyberdefenses plural : the software, hardware, etc. used to protect against cyberattacks

Biden issued an urgent warning to American business leaders yesterday, telling them to strengthen their companies' cyber defenses immediately.

—Alexandra Meeks

Ukraine has been deliberate about creating a volunteer force of hackers, offering rewards for those who can pinpoint flaws in Russian cyberdefenses.

—Cora Engelbrecht

Examples of cyber defense in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

To reduce current vulnerabilities, cyber defenses of The Grid and its legacy systems need to be hardened to meet today’s sophisticated cyber-threats. —Chuck Brooks, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024

That’s important, as these companies often represent the future of the industry and indicate that, despite larger economic challenges, investors still believe in the market for more robust and innovative cyber defense tools. —David Dewalt, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024

The Air Force’s 70th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing said Bushnell was a cyber defense operations specialist. —Corky Siemaszko, NBC News, 27 Feb. 2024

With the vast majority of U.S. infrastructure privately owned and varying widely in cyber defense capabilities, a regulated approach to cybersecurity is not just advisable but essential for national security. —Eric Noonan, Fortune, 1 Mar. 2024

An integrated, technical cyber defense that combines exceptional data security and data management helps ensure organizations run optimally in line with business goals and protects their most valuable assets from malicious actors and misuse. —Brian Spanswick, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024

Notably, the efforts of US agencies to shore up their own cyber defenses against foreign threats are routinely revealed to be behind schedule, as has been the case for the past decade. —Dell Cameron, WIRED, 28 Feb. 2024

This is why one of the pillars of better cyber defense is better intelligence. —David Monnier, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024

However, the numbers above are roughly the same as the FBI’s entire budget, which includes cyber defense, white collar crime, and other concerns. —Daniel Byman, Foreign Affairs, 3 Oct. 2017

Word History

First Known Use

1995, in the meaning defined at sense 1