18 September 2024
In the second quarter of 2024 (1 April to 30 June), New Zealanders reported losses of $6.8m to cybercrime. Most of this comes from 11 reports that were over $100,000 and collectively added up to $5.5m.
The amount lost from incidents involving unauthorised access increased this quarter, costing New Zealanders $3.6m, National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Director Mission Enablement Michael Jagusch said.
"Unauthorised access is a serious type of incident," warned Jagusch, "because attackers are inside your systems and can potentially commit crimes without being detected. We're urging organisations to check out OwnYourOnline.govt.nz for guidance and easy steps to help mitigate against these attacks."
The 1,203 reports received in Q2 is a 22% drop from the first three months of the year, and a 38% drop from the second quarter of last year.
This report also looks at tools online criminals are using to run scams and attacks: email spoofing, Rich Communication Services, and progressive web apps. All three are used to mask attacks while trying to get personal and financial information from unsuspecting people.
"Bad actors will try to exploit every tool to their advantage," Jagusch said. "They're always coming up with new and inventive ways to steal money and information, and it's our job to help you stay one step ahead of them with simple steps and guidance."
You can read the full report here.