Update on the integration of CERT NZ and the NCSC

Bringing CERT NZ and the NCSC together to form Aotearoa’s lead operational cyber security agency

A year ago, the Government announced that the two cyber security organisations NCSC and CERT NZ would come together. Since then, we’ve been working to make that become a reality. 

Now we’re happy to report we have brought our teams together and we are working as one organisation. 

What does that mean for people who use CERT NZ services? Don’t worry, we’re still providing the same services:  information, advice, incident response support, receiving vulnerability reports, and sending out advisories and alerts.  We’re just doing it as part of the NCSC. 

It makes sense to bring the two agencies together. For Aotearoa to be cyber resilient, individuals as well as organisations of all sizes need to be secure. So, the work that CERT NZ does with small businesses and everyday New Zealanders complements the work that NCSC does with nationally significant organisations.   

We’re also seeing cyber security challenges becoming more interconnected, and a blurry line between cyber criminals and nation-state actors. Altogether, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to neatly divide up the areas handled by CERT NZ and the NCSC.  

With the NCSC now New Zealand’s lead agency for cyber security operations, it should be less confusing for the public, organisations, and the media to know who in government is in charge of what.

But we aim to be more than the simple sum of our parts. Integrating CERT NZ has prompted change within the rest of the NCSC and the revisiting of strategic objectives. We have a new rallying cry: ‘Let’s make New Zealand a place where good cyber security happens everywhere, all the time, by everyone’.

This recognises that tackling cyber security threats will require the assistance and cooperation of many agencies, individuals, and private-sector organisations across New Zealand. We cannot do it alone. The combined agency will be looking to engage across the economy to improve the nation’s cyber resilience.

On a practical level, what does this mean?  

As a new, integrated organisation, you will see the NCSC delivering CERT NZ functions and services, giving advice to the general public and businesses, speaking in the media on issues like scams, and being linked to education campaigns.

For example, the upcoming Cyber Smart Week campaign (external link)in October will be brought to you by the NCSC.

For the time being the CERT NZ website (external link)and reporting tool will remain, but overall, we’re phasing out ‘CERT NZ’ as a brand and name, so you’ll see less of this around. 

Some things won’t change: the Own Your Online website,(external link) which CERT NZ launched last year, will continue to deliver great information to everyday New Zealanders and small businesses, just with a NCSC brand attached instead of CERT NZ.

In summary, none of the CERT NZ services will disappear; they are now being delivered by the NCSC.

The NCSC is changing and evolving to meet the cyber security threat landscape, and it is ready to engage with New Zealanders.

We’re enthusiastic about our new organisation and what it can achieve – with your help.

Let’s make New Zealand a place where good cyber security happens everywhere, all the time, by everyone.