NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather forecasts

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
    • The Great NZ Road Trip
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

New data shows cyber-attacks on NZ computers and networks double in 5 years

Kurt Bayer
By Kurt Bayer
South Island Head of News·NZ Herald·
25 Oct, 2016 10:28 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Computer hacking is on the rise in New Zealand. Picture / 123RF

Computer hacking is on the rise in New Zealand. Picture / 123RF

Cyber-attacks on New Zealand computers and networks have more than doubled over the last five years, data released under the Official Information Act shows.

The figures, released to the Herald by New Zealand's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), which forms part of the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB), reveal a jump in reported cybersecurity incidents since the centre became operational in September 2011.

In 2011, there were 90 reported cybersecurity incidents. A cybersecurity incident is considered to be an attack, or an attempted attack, against a computer or network that harms, or may potentially harm, the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of network data or systems.

In 2012, the number of cyber-attacks jumped to 134 and in 2013 there were 219.

The latest available figures show 190 cybersecurity incidents over 2014/15 after a change in reporting by calendar year to financial year.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The figures revealing the extent of the problem come as Communications Minister Amy Adams earlier this month said one in five Kiwis were affected by cybercrime in the last year.

At a global cost of around $600 billion a year, cybercrime is now bigger than the global drugs trade.

Prime Minister John Key has said New Zealand is constantly dealing with cyber-attacks that have been sponsored by foreign countries and terror groups.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"We're attacked by extremists and terrorists, and issue-motivated activists. Others include lone cyber hackers and disgruntled insiders. There are multiple kinds of threats and cyber harms," he said earlier this year.

At a cybersecurity summit in Auckland, Key said more than 856,000 Kiwis are affected by cybercrime each year, at an estimated cost to New Zealand last year of $257 million.

The NCSC, which provides "enhanced cybersecurity services" to the New Zealand government and private sector organisations to help them defend against cyber-borne threats, records reported cybersecurity incidents from affected groups, researchers, IT security partners, as well as "local and international partners" and the GCSB's "Cortex" cybersecurity programme.

The Government has poured millions into protecting New Zealand's $231 billion GDP from cyber-attack.

Discover more

Airlines

WiFi in the sky growing

24 Oct 01:55 AM
World

Wikileaks: stop taking down internet

21 Oct 10:21 PM
Business

Why Twitter, Spotify were down Friday

22 Oct 02:30 AM
Opinion

What is dark web and how does it work?

23 Oct 04:00 PM

In May, it pledged $22m for the setting up of the Computer Emergency Response Team (Cert) which will receive cyberincident reports, track incidents and cyber-attacks, and provide advice and alerts on how to respond to and prevent attacks.

Spark said last month that 130,000 customer email addresses may have been compromised in Yahoo's massive 2014 data breach.

And earlier this month, NCSC reported the number of Kiwi domains caught up in a global data hack of popular US online file hosting service Dropbox has been estimated at 120,000.

A KPMG test on the cybersecurity of New Zealand businesses recently found one in 10 Kiwis could fall for a phishing attack - the practice of sending an email pretending to be from a reputable group to trick individuals to reply with personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers.

KPMG conducted a phishing experiment with 35 organisations, who agreed to be involved, with a total of 8333 staff.

It found that 12 per cent of people clicked on the link and, once through to the website, 8.4 per cent entered their password details.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"If the phishing emails had been real, then cyber-criminals would have acquired the passwords of a significant number of people in every organisation," said Philip Whitmore, head of KPMG Cyber.

However, new research released today by InternetNZ shows that more than two thirds (72 per cent) of Kiwis are aware of the risks around personal security on the internet.

It also found that a staggering 94 per cent of New Zealanders check the internet at least once a day, with a third of Kiwis constantly connected online.

"We hope that high awareness of the importance of security will see people take measures to stay safe online," said InternetNZ chief executive Jordan Carter.

"With new advancements on the Internet - and with the release of many network-connected household devices - it is necessary that security is a top priority for internet users."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

Kahu

Muttonbirding: ‘It’s a part of who we are’

10 May 09:35 AM
New Zealand

Do you know this woman? Police appeal for help to identify 'Mary'

10 May 08:58 AM
New Zealand

Lotto Powerball: $10 million draw not struck, two players win $500,000

10 May 08:02 AM

One tiny baby’s fight to survive

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Muttonbirding: ‘It’s a part of who we are’

Muttonbirding: ‘It’s a part of who we are’

10 May 09:35 AM

Daniel Tarrant is harvesting tītī on Rakiura's tītī islands.

Do you know this woman? Police appeal for help to identify 'Mary'

Do you know this woman? Police appeal for help to identify 'Mary'

10 May 08:58 AM
Lotto Powerball: $10 million draw not struck, two players win $500,000

Lotto Powerball: $10 million draw not struck, two players win $500,000

10 May 08:02 AM
Premium
Tickets please: 'You are not going for dinner, you're going for an experience'

Tickets please: 'You are not going for dinner, you're going for an experience'

10 May 06:01 AM
Connected workers are safer workers 
sponsored

Connected workers are safer workers 

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP