Despite most people in New Zealand having access to a smartphone or computer for work, many Kiwis underestimate how vulnerable we are to cyber criminals. We mistakenly believe that our country’s geographic distance makes us an ‘island’ on the Internet. However, the reality is that everybody is connected in this digital world.

When talking to our customers about the impact of cyber-crime on their business last year, many felt overwhelmed by the increasing volume of security alerts demanding immediate attention. 'Notification Fatigue' is a new trend occurring in small to medium sized businesses throughout New Zealand.

The start of a new year (and in this case a new decade) is a good time to reflect on what was achieved last year, and re-think habits, objectives and mindsets for achieving new goals.

The recent high profile WannaCry and NotPetya ransomware attacks not only shook up the global business world, they also signalled what could be a shift to the new ‘normal’ – that is where malware authors are setting out to achieve their goal, whether that be led by financial gain or the desire to cause widespread disruption – as fast as possible through massive coordinated attacks.

Kiwi businesses taking cyber security more seriously – but there’s room for improvement.