New Zealand's National Cyber Security Centre has identified China as the most capable and persistent state-sponsored cyber threat facing the nation. The agency recorded 86 incidents linked to state actors over the last year.
The 86 incidents targeting New Zealand's infrastructure
According to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), state-sponsored activity accounted for 86 distinct incidents in the past year . This figure represents 23% of the 369 total cyber events that the NCSC deemed to be of potential national significance in the period leading up to June 2026.
The NCSC report specifies that these attacks were not limited to a single sector. Instead, the activity targeted a broad array of high-value targets, including government agencies, education organizations, health providers, and IT managed-service providers. By targeting IT service providers, state actors can potentially gain "backdoor" access to multiple client networks simultaneously, amplifying the reach of a single intrusion.
South Pacific competition and the risk to Pacific ties
The NCSC warns that geopolitical competition is increasingly manifesting as digital warfare within the South Pacific. new Zealand's extensive cultural, political, and economic connections across the Pacific region make it a strategic target for state-backed actors seeking intelligence or operational leverage.
As reported by the NCSC, these actors often employ a "long game" strategy. cyber espionage frequently begins with reconnaissance and the positioning of access within a system, a process that can take months or years. This stealthy approach allows attackers to remain undetected while they gather intelligence or prepare for potential disruption of essential public services and critical infrastructure.
China as the sole actor conducting espionage 'at scale'
This latest finding aligns with a broader trend of Western-aligned intelligence agencies flagging Beijing's digital activities. In a separate report released in August, New Zealand's security agency explicitly named China as the only country detected conducting espionage "at scale" within the nation's borders.
This pattern reflects a growing tension between New Zealand and China , as the former increasingly aligns its security posture with the "Five Eyes" intelligence alliance. The shift suggests that New Zealand is moving away from its traditional diplomatic balancing act, prioritizing the identification of state-sponsored threats over the avoidance of diplomatic friction with its largest trading partner.
Beijing's denial and the missing evidence of attribution
The Chinese foreign minisry has responded by urging New Zealand to stop "spreading lies" and creating conflict, asserting that China resolutely cracks down on hacking in accordance with the law. Beijing continues to deny all allegations of state-sponsored cyber espionage , framing the NCSC report as a hindrance to mutual trust.
Despite the NCSC's confidence in its findings, the report leaves several critical questions unanswered. Specifically, the NCSC has not released the technical forensic evidence used to attribute these 86 incidents to Chinese state actors, nor has it detailed the specific natre of the data compromised in the attacks on health and education sectors.. Without these details , the claims remain based on the internal assessments of the intelligence community rather than publicly verifiable data.
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