cyberattack Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/cyberattack Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/cyberattack Written by Dylan Shulman Dylan Shulman was an Editorial Intern at Encyclopædia Britannica in 2023 and 2024. He graduated in 2023 with a B.A. in journalism and French from the University of Maryland. Dylan Shulman Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Sep 16, 2024 • Article History Table of Contents cyberattack, deliberate and malicious attempt to gain unauthorized access to a digital system. Cyberattacks can affect computers, smartphones, or other Internet-connected devices. Cybercriminals’ main goal is often to steal money, personal information, credentials, intellectual property, or otherwise valuable information. Attackers may also aim to disrupt or cripple the targeted system. Cyberattacks are often a precursor to more-serious cybercrime, such as identity theft, invasion of privacy, and fraud. Such attacks occur every day, and more than half of them result in damages of $500,000 or more each. The average cost of a data breach is $4.35 million, and some estimates indicate ...(100 of 1279 words)

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