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
In May 2024, a cyberattack paralyzed many of the organization’s digital resources, affecting electronic medical records systems, prescriptions and refills, credit card payments, processing of electronic lab and radiology orders and access to its patient portal online.
—Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
While Iranian missiles cannot yet reach the US mainland, officials say cyberattacks offer a way for Iran to respond asymmetrically by hitting critical US infrastructure in cyberspace.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2026
As the war with Iran continues, these sorts of cyberattacks are likely to escalate.
—Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 8 Apr. 2026
The framing event of the season is a cyberattack that forces the team to go offline and use analog systems to route patients and document their care.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cyberattack
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
While Iranian missiles cannot yet reach the US mainland, officials say cyberattacks offer a way for Iran to respond asymmetrically by hitting critical US infrastructure in cyberspace.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2026
As the war with Iran continues, these sorts of cyberattacks are likely to escalate.
—Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 8 Apr. 2026
The framing event of the season is a cyberattack that forces the team to go offline and use analog systems to route patients and document their care.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cyberattack
Cite this Entry
“Cyberattack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cyberattack. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
