New Zealand Flags Persistent China-Linked Cyber Risk for Critical Services

Wellington, 24 September 2026 – New Zealand’s cyber-security authorities have identified China-linked activity as the country’s most persistent and capable state-associated digital threat, according to their latest assessment. The report describes a broad operating environment in which government agencies, health and education organisations, and information-technology service providers remain exposed. It does not imply that every intrusion is attributable to China, nor does it assign an individual perpetrator to each case.

The National Cyber Security Centre said 23% of incidents assessed as potentially nationally significant in its 2025–26 reporting period had suspected state-sponsored links. The word suspected is material: cyber attribution is an intelligence assessment built from technical indicators and behaviour, not a court finding. The same report identifies suspected activity associated with Russia, Iran and North Korea, while describing the People’s Republic of China as the most persistent and capable actor in New Zealand’s threat landscape.