What is a Cyber Attack? Definition & Examples

Meaning 1：cyber attack (Cyber Attack)

Cyber Attack 🔊

/ˈsaɪbər əˌtæk/

An attempt to damage or steal information from computer systems using the internet.

cyber attack 🔊

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/ˈsaɪbər əˌtæk/

An attempt to damage, disrupt, or gain unauthorized access to computer systems or networks, typically carried out by malicious actors via the internet.

📁 Category：Warfare & Battle 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Cyber (from Greek kybernetes, steersman) + Attack (from Old French ataquer, to strike).

💡 Mnemonic

Imagine a cyber warrior launching a digital strike on a glowing network shield.

📖 Example

The bank's website was down for hours after a major cyber attack that targeted its customer database. 🔊 The bank's website was down for hours after a major cyber attack that targeted its customer database.

🔗 Collocations

suffer a cyber attack – experience a malicious intrusion into a computer system

launch a cyber attack – initiate an offensive operation against a network

defend against cyber attacks – protect systems from digital threats

🔄 Synonyms

cyber assault (n.) – a coordinated digital attack on a system

hacking incident (n.) – an event where a system is breached by hackers

network intrusion (n.) – unauthorized access to a network

🚫 Antonyms

cyber defense (n.) – measures taken to protect against cyber attacks

cyber security (n.) – the practice of defending systems from digital attacks

🌱 Derivatives

cyberattacker (n.) – person who conducts a cyber attack

cyberattack (v.) – to launch a cyber attack

📖 Cultural Story

The term 'cyber attack' emerged in the 1990s with internet growth. High-profile incidents like the 2017 WannaCry ransomware attack popularized it in media and security discourse.