Meaning & use
cybersecurity
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountable
The work of keeping computers, networks, and data safe from online attacks or unauthorized access.
Grammar: Uncountable; no plural. Use it with a singular verb: Cybersecurity is important.
Patterns
- cybersecurity measures
- invest in cybersecurity
- a cybersecurity expert
The company spends millions on cybersecurity every year.
Poor cybersecurity can lead to stolen customer data.
She works in cybersecurity for a large bank.
noununcountable
The field or industry that deals with protecting digital systems.
Grammar: Also uncountable; often used before another noun: cybersecurity firm.
Patterns
- work in cybersecurity
- the cybersecurity industry
- a career in cybersecurity
He moved from software development into cybersecurity.
The university offers a degree in cybersecurity.
Cybersecurity is one of the fastest-growing job sectors.
Common combinations
- cybersecurity threat
- Ransomware is a major cybersecurity threat for hospitals.
- cybersecurity breach
- The bank suffered a cybersecurity breach last month.
- cybersecurity policy
- The government updated its cybersecurity policy.
- cybersecurity awareness
- Staff training raises cybersecurity awareness.
Synonyms and how they differ
- information security
- Broader and more formal; it covers all kinds of information, not just digital systems.
- IT security
- Often used inside companies for the same idea, focusing on internal computer systems.
Word family
- cyberattack noun
- An online attempt to damage or steal from a computer system.
- cybercrime noun
- Crime carried out using computers or the internet.
- cyber adjective
- Relating to computers and the internet, used before nouns.
Commonly confused: cybersecurity or cyber security?
cybersecurity vs cyber security
The two-word spelling is also correct, especially in British English, but cybersecurity is now standard in most contexts.
Practice
Which sentence uses cybersecurity correctly?
Choose one answer.
Cybersecurity is uncountable and takes a singular verb, so 'is' is correct. 'Are' is wrong because the noun has no plural form, and the other options use it as a countable noun or a verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “cybersecurity”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.