cyberwar

/ˈsaɪbərˌwɔər/

Using computer technology to attack a country's government is known as cyberwar. Waging cyberwar on a foreign power might involve hacking its computer networks.

The term cyberwar is slightly different from other kinds of cybercrime, in that it refers specifically to politically motivated attacks on a state or government — or occasionally, on another organization. Today's spies might commit espionage, a form of cyberwar, by hacking into networks to obtain state secrets. The word cyberwar itself uses the technological prefix cyber-, combined with war, from the Old English root wyrre, or "military conflict."

Definitions of cyberwar

1. noun

   an assault on electronic communication networks
   synonyms: cyber-terrorism, cyberterrorism

   type of:

   act of terrorism, terrorism, terrorist act

   the calculated use of violence (or the threat of violence) against civilians in order to attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in nature; this is done through intimidation or coercion or instilling fear