# Cyberattack

A deliberate attempt to damage, disrupt, or gain unauthorized access to a computer system or network.

**Cyberattack[↗](/cyberattack)** is a deliberate attempt by an individual or group to damage, disrupt, steal from, or gain unauthorized access to a computer system, network, or device. Motives range from financial gain and espionage to activism or simple disruption.

Cyberattacks take many forms, phishing[↗](/phishing), ransomware[↗](/ransomware), denial-of-service, and more, and can target anyone from individuals to critical national infrastructure. Their impact ranges from a stolen password to a shut-down hospital, which is why layered defenses matter at every scale.