The Ultimate Guide to Cybersecurity
A curated Kiwi edition of TechDay news, analysis, interviews, reviews, job moves, and related resources for Cybersecurity.
What to know about Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is a critical and evolving field dedicated to protecting individuals, businesses, and governments from online threats. Amid transformative advancements such as AI, cloud adoption, quantum computing, and fluctuating geopolitical risks, organisations are navigating an increasingly complex cyber threat landscape.
Recent developments across the cybersecurity sphere highlight crucial topics including ransomware surges, deepfake scams, API security lapses, identity management complexities, and the growing importance of Zero Trust frameworks. These trends underscore the need for proactive strategies, comprehensive threat detection, agile responses, and a strengthening of human and technological defenses.
With expanding attack surfaces driven by remote work, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and digital transformation, there is a paramount focus on integrating AI-powered solutions, enhancing data protection, and addressing skills shortages. Initiatives promoting diversity, education, and collaborative partnerships continue to be essential in fortifying cyber resilience.
Exploring these themes through the latest stories and expert insights encourages readers to deepen their understanding of contemporary cybersecurity challenges and solutions, emphasizing actionable knowledge to help safeguard digital futures in an interconnected world.
Kiwi Cybersecurity News
Regional stories with direct local relevance
iPayroll mandates 2FA security for employee logins
Employees now need a second verification step to reach payroll data as iPayroll tightens defences amid rising cyber incidents in New Zealand.
Payments NZ chief calls for stronger interoperability
New Zealand's payments system could face disruption unless banks and providers agree common standards, Steve Wiggins said.
Westcon-Comstor earns New Zealand Great Place To Work
The certification comes as New Zealand tech employers battle skills shortages, with staff praising support, inclusion and career development.
Cyber criminals are not breaking in - they're logging in
Breaches across New Zealand are increasingly exploiting human trust, with thieves using logins and one-time codes to steal data and funds.
New Zealand online scams surge as trust is exploited
Online shoppers in New Zealand face a sharper risk of fraud as fake stores and remote access attacks exploit trusted digital services.
Catalyst urges New Zealand to back local tech suppliers
With NZD $13 billion set to be spent on public technology, the firm says procurement reform could keep more taxpayer money and control at home.
Analyst Insights
Research and market analysis connected to Cybersecurity
NTT DATA named market shaper in Gartner physical AI
Deepfake fraud attacks rise 180% as identity checks fail
SnapLogic launches SnapCode for Claude Code integration
IDC survey flags networking bottlenecks for agentic AI
Entrust launches AI trust accelerator for autonomous agents
Featured News
SonicWall boosts endpoint security for SMBs and mid-market
SMBs and mid-market firms facing AI-driven attacks are set for tighter device controls as SonicWall prepares a new endpoint security product.
Resilience over prevention as AI reshapes security landscape
Rising ransomware speed is pushing ANZ firms to increase spending on recovery strategies as AI gives attackers new ways in.
Check Point: Be the best, or get out the way
Rising AI-driven attacks are compel security buyers to cut vendor sprawl, though Check Point warns over-consolidation can still raise risk.
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Check Point: Hackers are already in. Act accordingly
Hackers are exploiting vulnerabilities in hours or minutes, leaving many organisations compromised before defenders spot the breach.
Archaic payment processes costing SMEs time and money
Australian SMEs are missing working capital gains as manual invoicing and EFTs leave payments slower and less secure.
AI reshaping cybersecurity - on defence and attack
Criminals are using AI to scale phishing and hunt flaws faster, forcing firms to harden defences as alert volumes and risks rise.
Reducing cyber risk is still hard: Why CTEM stalls at action
Security teams are still struggling to turn vulnerability alerts into fixes, leaving companies exposed for months when IT and operations must act separately.
Quantum computers aren't here yet. But the data threat is
Hackers are already hoarding encrypted data, as businesses race to adopt quantum-safe protection before Q-Day arrives.
UiPath assisting One NZ on journey to become AI leaders
Strict controls are now central to One NZ's AI push as it guards customer data and avoids costly errors in billing and finance.
Defence Australia puts data at core of national security
Sovereign AI is becoming vital to mission readiness as Defence Australia builds a connected data ecosystem for faster decisions.
Banks face AI balancing act as regulation tempers uptake
Australia's banks are steadily increasing their use of artificial intelligence, but regulation and data security fears are tempering adoption.
Samsung AI push focuses on proactivity, personalisation
Devices that anticipate routines could cut friction for New Zealand users as Samsung extends hyper-personalised AI across phones, wearables and the home.
Hype growing - but SMEs still face barriers to AI adoption
Small firms risk falling behind unless they adopt AI for practical gains, as SMEC AI says many are still confused by the technology.
'Smart people changing': How humans and agentic AI co-exist
Governance fears and skills gaps are pushing businesses to deploy agentic AI in secure systems while protecting staff from disruption.
Exabeam: Ruthless efficiency can make agentic AI malicious
Behavioural analytics is becoming essential as AI agents can pursue tasks so efficiently that they may cause damage without any malicious intent.
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Digidentity helping companies navigate AI fraud challenges
AI-driven fraud is pushing healthcare, government and carmakers to tighten identity checks as remote transactions spread worldwide.
Geotab using telematics and AI to reshape fleet management
Rising fuel costs and safety risks are pushing fleet operators to use Geotab telematics to cut idling, reroute trips and monitor fatigue.
Companies wildly unprepared for new era of security threats
Many firms are exposing sensitive data as shadow AI and weak controls leave them open to breaches, hallucinations and unauthorised access.
Visibility can shield you against $15k/min downtime
Blind spots in monitoring are pushing outage bills higher, with Splunk estimating average downtime now costs USD $15,000 a minute.
Check Point Technologies: On vigilance, Mythos and beyond
AI-driven vulnerability scanning is forcing firms to rethink complacency as Check Point says existing defences still help against Mythos.
Conference Room Audio Should Be Managed Like Enterprise IT
Better network oversight is letting firms scale meeting rooms, boost uptime and add AI captions, transcription and analytics.
Exclusive: Reco COO on securing the AI inside your SaaS stack
Reco COO Zoe Hillenmeyer says enterprises typically underestimate their AI agent exposure by a factor of ten and that gap is widening.
Certes says be ready to protect data before Q Day hits
Only 3% of Australian businesses have started preparing for post-quantum cryptography, leaving sensitive data exposed to harvest-now, decrypt-later attacks.
OVHcloud launches APAC Local Zone with Datacentre220
New Zealand firms gain a local cloud option as OVHCloud opens its first Asia-Pacific zone in Auckland, boosting resilience and data sovereignty.
The AI challenge - balancing governance and innovation
Many projects remain stuck at proof of concept as businesses wrestle with data governance, security and agent oversight before scaling AI.
HPE assisting IT teams navigate complex challenges
HPE Networking says AI, zero trust and SASE are reshaping network security as remote work and connected devices make threats harder to control.
Cloudera hackathon highlights enterprise AI data challenges
Only seven per cent of organisations are data ready, raising doubts over whether enterprise AI can move from prototypes to production.
TeamViewer utilising AI to cut costly digital friction
A survey of 4,000 workers found digital friction is fuelling burnout, tears and staff turnover as TeamViewer automates routine IT tasks.
Affordable cloud backups for all with Exaba and Datacentre220
Many small businesses are skipping backups altogether as a local partnership says it can cut cloud storage costs by up to 90%.
Yubico well-prepared for post-quantum computing threats
Businesses are racing to upgrade defences as Yubico says quantum computers could expose banking, health data and other records within years.
Upwind Expands to Sydney: Real Time Cloud Security for APJ
The Sydney move follows a USD $250 million funding round as the cloud security firm bets on real-time protection for fast-growing AI workloads.
AI agents multiply risk, says DigiCert chief product officer
Many firms cannot see where their AI agents are, leaving identity, policy and supply-chain risks to grow as deployments scale.
Google Cloud CEO sets out enterprise AI agent plan
Enterprises will get one place to build, govern and run AI agents, as Google Cloud expands Gemini Enterprise across models, data and security.
Google flags urgency as AI reshapes cyber threats
Patching delays now carry greater risk as Google says AI is helping attackers scale intrusions, speed up breaches and automate operations.
Exclusive: Google Cloud reshaping finance with agentic AI
Banks must move beyond isolated pilots if they want agentic AI to deliver enterprise-wide gains, Google Cloud says.
Exclusive: Adobe ANZ chief on AI adoption trends
AI is increasingly moving into live use across Australia and New Zealand, as regulated sectors test deployments while CEOs chase productivity gains.
Reviews
Expert Columns
Post-quantum cryptography: are we sleepwalking into the next Y2K moment?
Cyber criminals are not breaking in - they're logging in
Networks take the wheel as AI moves from hype to reality
AI deserves our appreciation, but only if we're honest about what we're appreciating
Buying more tools won't scale your security ambitions, operational maturity will
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Why faster AI is exposing slower security thinking
Adding AI to a platform is easy, adding it without breaking your security isn't
Safety isn't just a launch state, it's a discipline
From cryptographic debt to boardroom accountability: A CEO's blueprint for post-quantum resilience
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Yahoo Boys, a persistent menace and one of the longest running online crime cultures
Interviews
Interviews and video coverage from the networkRecent Cybersecurity News
One NZ wins TM Forum award for AI telecoms project
New Zealand telecoms could gain a software-led revenue stream after One NZ's AI project was named among TM Forum's top Catalyst awards.
One NZ report shows 82% fall in Scope 1 & 2 emissions
Verified climate targets have pushed One NZ to cut its reported Scope 1 and 2 emissions 82% from a 2024 baseline by FY2026.
Spectrum partners with Arctic Wolf on cyber services
New Zealand firms can now outsource 24x7 threat monitoring as Spectrum adds Arctic Wolf's managed detection and response to its resilience stack.
New Zealand urged to boost transparency in data use
Wider adoption of AI tools is prompting calls for plain-language data rules that give New Zealanders more control over personal information.
Safety isn't just a launch state, it's a discipline
AI wellbeing coaches face persistent probing, and the company says health tools must be monitored daily as attacks grow more sophisticated.
New Zealanders hit by scams during big life events
Middle-aged New Zealanders are increasingly exposed as scammers target house moves, job searches and big purchases, research shows.
Gallagher wins awards for Harriet Sommerville, AccessNow
The twin honours underline Gallagher Security's standing in New Zealand's security market, with its staff and software both recognised.
From cryptographic debt to boardroom accountability: A CEO's blueprint for post-quantum resilience
Quantum theft could expose sensitive records years from now, turning today's encrypted files into a board-level liability for Kiwi firms.
Tuanz urges stronger New Zealand cyber security rules
Small businesses face rising scam losses and AI-driven fraud as the association urges mandatory reporting and tougher platform obligations.
Gallagher Security launches podcast on access control
Security teams and IT departments are being pulled closer together as access control becomes part of wider digital infrastructure.
Commvault expands Microsoft Azure partnership in NZ
New Zealand organisations may gain faster recovery and simpler compliance as Commvault's tools become part of Microsoft Azure's native service.
mA.I Health wins ISO security certification for platform
External validation of its data protections may help mA.I Health win over families and healthcare partners handling sensitive records across providers.
New Zealand cyber losses rise as C2 incidents return
Direct financial losses climbed 76 per cent to NZD $5.6 million as three highly significant breaches revived fears over public fallout.
HP New Zealand appoints Daniel Roberts as head of enterprise
Businesses in New Zealand want better productivity and AI support, and HP has named a veteran executive to help meet that demand.
New Zealand has a talent problem, and it's becoming a security risk
Skills shortages are leaving New Zealand firms exposed as AI adoption outpaces cyber and governance expertise across key sectors.
New Zealand cyber agency reports return of major attacks
The return of highly significant incidents has renewed pressure on New Zealand organisations to tighten defences after losses jumped to NZD $5.6 million.
Gallagher unveils live security zone at SecTech NZ
More than 1,100 security professionals saw live access requests approved in real time as Gallagher showcased its software in New Zealand.
Tech Users NZ calls for long-term digital strategy
A cross-party plan is being urged to give businesses and public services certainty over digital investment, skills and online safety beyond election cycles.
The GRC cheat code: Why we stopped auditing from scratch and started mapping the gaps
By reusing one certified control set, Spectrum cut duplicated audit work and is now targeting faster SOC 2 Type II and ISO 42001 checks.
Taiawa Tech Hub adds $14.4 million to Wellington GDP
The hub's second year delivered a 21% rise in output, with independent analysis showing it supported 148 jobs across Wellington.
Job Moves
HP New Zealand appoints Daniel Roberts as head of enterprise
Spectrum Consulting names Darryl van Rensburg for AI drive
Gallagher Security names Josh Arnold Chief Product Lead
Crimson Education names Sir John Key chair amid expansion
DLA Piper appoints Edward Eisdell-Moore as NZ tech partner
Capture The Bug adds US tech leaders for North American push
Eugene Donovan rejoins Gallagher Security as Training Solutions Engineer
Kordia appoints Willo Chapman Head of Sales for cyber & cloud
Seeby Woodhouse returns as Voyager Chief Executive Officer
