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

Users are the first line of cyber defense, so SMBs must conduct regular user awareness training programs, which are essential for ensuring that employees understand best practices and can recognize potential threats and malicious activity. —Dor Eisner, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024

On cyber defense, another US intelligence memo, first reported by WIRED, suggests that the threat of cybercriminals targeting election infrastructure will ultimately outweigh threats posed by rival nations such as China, Russia, and Iran. —Tess Owen, WIRED, 28 Oct. 2024

Israel's civilian cyber defense agency is also a user of Recorded Future’s tools. —Thomas Brewster, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024

Each stage produces data points and requires a robust cyber defense strategy for humans and critical systems. —Dewayne Hart, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1995, in the meaning defined at sense 1