State-linked Russian spies increasingly targeting NZ organisations – National Cyber Security Centre

Summary: The National Cyber Security Centre reported 7,122 security incidents in New Zealand in the year leading up to July 2024, with an increasing focus on threats posed by state-linked Russian cyber actors. The report highlights the growing complexity of cyber threats, particularly targeting individuals and small to medium enterprises, resulting in significant financial losses. Additionally, state-sponsored cyber activities are becoming harder to attribute and are increasingly linked to broader geopolitical tensions, especially with the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Affected: New Zealand organizations and businesses

Keypoints :

• 7,122 security incidents recorded, with significant losses of .6 million.
• Over 100 incidents linked to state-sponsored actors, highlighting increased cyber threats from Russia.
• State-sponsored and criminally motivated cyber activities are becoming harder to attribute.
• Compromise of corporate email accounts is on the rise and poses a growing concern.
• Government and defense sectors are the primary targets for state-sponsored attacks.
• Awareness and security measures, particularly multi-factor authentication, are crucial for organizations.