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

French authorities have confirmed that the appearance of a male name in Brigitte Macron’s tax records was the result of a cyberattack, not a confirmation of any official identity. —Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025

The alleged attacks have included blazes at a shopping mall in Poland and an Ikea store in Lithuania, cyberattacks on Czech railways, and the vandalism of Jewish buildings in France. —Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025

Kurt's key takeaway The SimonMed Imaging breach is another reminder that cyberattacks on healthcare providers are becoming more frequent and far more invasive. —Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2025

Starring Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo as the beloved duo, the 10-episode NCIS spinoff follows the pair as they are forced on the run after being framed for a worldwide cyberattack. —Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1996, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for cyberattack

• ammoniac
• biofeedback
• counterattack
• demoniac
• elegiac
• noncardiac
• paranoiac
• aback
• anzac
• attack
• backpack
• backtrack