cold boot attack

noun

A type of sidechannel attack in which somebody with physical access to a computer is able to retrieve encryption keys from a running operating system after a reboot. It relies on the fact that the contents of memory can still be read for a short period after power is cut off.

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nouncold boot attack (plural cold boot attacks)

plural cold boot attacks

  1. computingA type of sidechannel attack in which somebody with physical access to a computer is able to retrieve encryption keys from a running operating system after a reboot. It relies on the fact that the contents of memory can still be read for a short period after power is cut off.
Cite this entry
APA

cold boot attack. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cold%20boot%20attack

MLA

“cold boot attack.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cold%20boot%20attack. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cold boot attack,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cold%20boot%20attack.

Source: cold boot attack on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.