hijacking
UK: ˈhaɪdʒækɪŋ | US: ˈhaɪdʒækɪŋ
n. the act of illegally seizing control of a vehicle (especially an aircraft) by force or threat
vt. the act of taking over something (e.g., a meeting, system, or process) unlawfully or abruptly
The word "hijack" likely originated in the early 20th century, possibly from the combination of "hi" (a casual greeting) and "jack" (slang for "seize" or "steal"). The term was first associated with the illegal seizure of vehicles, particularly airplanes. Over time, it expanded metaphorically to describe the unauthorized takeover of systems, processes, or events. The "-ing" suffix transforms it into a noun denoting the action or instance of hijacking.
The hijacking of the flight was thwarted by air marshals.
Cybercriminals are increasingly hijacking computer systems for ransom.
The protest turned violent when extremists attempted a hijacking of the event.
Authorities are investigating the hijacking of a cargo ship near the coast.
The company’s servers were down due to a DNS hijacking attack.