cyber warfare

noun

variants or less commonly cyberwarfare
: the use of cyberattacks by a nation, organization, etc. to weaken or destroy another
… three days of speeches and panel discussions left no category of threat unaddressed. Earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, terror attacks, cyber warfare, chemical leaks, train derailments, wildfires, floods, and nuclear meltdowns were all considered.Matthew Power
… the Baltic nations of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have been the object of various threats from Russia, including economic sanctions and disruptive cyberwarfare.Zbigniew Brzezinski

Examples of cyber warfare in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Rather, the goal of most cyber warfare is instead probing an adversary’s systems to cause a disruption when it’s needed, said Craig Shue, who chairs the computer science department at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 25 Oct. 2024 In addition to terrorism and nuclear threats, the world should now worry about cyber warfare and the militarization of outer space. Kaveh Madani, Forbes, 15 Sep. 2024 Russian hackers have targeted small municipalities and ports with phishing scams, ransomware, and other forms of cyber warfare, and individuals travelling as tourists have been caught photographing sensitive defense and communications infrastructure. Ben Taub, The New Yorker, 9 Sep. 2024 Coursework topics include cyber warfare and cybersecurity policy and its legal and ethical dimensions. Foreign Affairs, 10 June 2024 Israel has focused intensely on its technological advantages over its enemies, assigning large numbers of personnel to electronic and cyber warfare units. Haleigh Bartos, The Conversation, 7 Dec. 2023 Importantly, this situation is vastly different from utilizing hacking or other forms of cyber warfare to directly attack opponents or infrastructure. Joan Donovan, TIME, 13 Oct. 2023 This is in large part due to its military prowess; members of the Israeli Defense Force’s 8200 cyber warfare unit have often gone on to serve in top roles at cybersecurity companies or found their own. Alexandra Sternlicht, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2023 Public pronouncements, public statements, reportage in the Iranian media about their defense budget, which beginning in 2011 began carrying a $1 billion line item annually on cyber warfare and cyber activities. Foreign Affairs, 24 May 2016

Word History

First Known Use

1994, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cyber warfare was in 1994

Dictionary Entries Near cyber warfare

Cite this Entry

“Cyber warfare.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cyber%20warfare. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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