Cyberattack definition
Cyberattack is a broad term for cybercrime that covers any deliberate assault on computer devices, networks, or infrastructures. Cyberattacks may be carried out for financial, vindictive, or ideological reasons, although some hackers also target high-profile systems for notoriety.
Cyberattack examples
- A DDoS attack is an internet cyberattack designed to disrupt a service, server, or network by overwhelming it with online traffic.
- A social engineering attack tricks the user into revealing sensitive data, installing malware, or transferring money to the perpetrator.
Stopping a cyber attack
- Use an antivirus to stop malware from compromising your device. Antiviruses can identify infected files, quarantine them from the rest of the system, and safely extract the malicious code.
- Use a reliable VPN to prevent man-in-the-middle cyberattacks and improve your privacy. NordVPN comes with the Threat Protection Pro and Dark Web Monitor features for additional cybersecurity.
- Avoid public Wi-Fi without a VPN — criminals can infiltrate these unsecured networks and spy on your unencrypted communications.
- Update your software regularly to patch newly discovered security flaws. This includes your operating system — don’t keep snoozing those critical security updates forever.
- Limit information about yourself online.
