speech on cyber with a great beggning
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Answer:
John Key
Prime Minister
Good morning and welcome to New Zealand’s first ever Cyber Security Summit.
It’s great to have so many business leaders from across New Zealand here in one room.
You’re here because you’re passionate about New Zealand’s economy and about keeping it safe and secure.
So am I.
Cyber incidents and attacks threaten our economy.
Businesses, both big and small, also need to accept that cybercrime poses an enormous and immediate risk to their bottom line.
A discussion about cyber security needs to happen across business, from boardrooms to the front desk.
That’s why I’m glad to see you all here today.
Our focus on cyber security is about helping to safeguard New Zealand’s economy.
It’s about making sure we remain open for business and ensuring Kiwis are safe online.
Across Cabinet we are working hard to build a stronger, more competitive economy.
New Zealand enjoys low inflation and interest rates, and an employment rate that is the envy of the developed world.
We have low debt and high economic growth.
Under our programme of responsible economic management we have seen more jobs created and higher incomes for New Zealand families.
We are an open and confident country that backs itself on the world stage.
A big part of our economic story is our investment in connectivity.
Just like running water and electricity, connectivity has become a vital piece of infrastructure for business.
We simply cannot grow and succeed in today’s digital age without it.
It means faster, more convenient ways of communicating and delivering ideas, products and services to customers.
And it means access to a hungry and wealthy global market.
A recent report claimed that if businesses properly harnessed the internet, it could add $34 billion to the New Zealand economy.
I want all New Zealanders to tap into this enormous economic potential.
That’s why our Government is investing more than $2 billion in building faster, more reliable broadband infrastructure across the country.
Our Ultra-Fast and Rural Broadband programmes are connecting our Kiwi companies with global customers.
As we encourage better use of the internet, we must also ensure we have an online environment that is as safe and secure as possible.
But our geographical isolation does not protect us from cybercrime.
Simply put, malicious cyber-attacks can be perpetrated from anywhere in the world, at any time and by anyone.
More than 856,000 New Zealanders are affected by cybercrime each year.
These are small-time attacks in the form of computer viruses and malware, credit card fraud, online scams, phishing and identity theft.
And while we are yet to experience a full-scale cyber incident like we’ve seen offshore, New Zealand is not immune to them.
Overseas these have included the likes of the cyber-attack on Sony Pictures, where company information was stolen and leaked online.
Or the hacker who stole credit card details from more than 110 million customers of the US-based Target department store.
Or the cyber attackers who shut down the power grid in the Ukraine.
In New Zealand we are dealing with state-sponsored espionage by foreign countries and organised criminal groups.
We’re attacked by extremists and terrorists, and issue-motivated activists.
Others include lone cyber hackers and disgruntled insiders.
There are multiple kinds of threats and cyber harms.
These include targeted spam or emails aimed at fraud or theft.
Malicious software to disrupt and damage systems.
And espionage for economic or strategic advantage.
These perpetrators are aiming at a range of targets.
Victims can include anyone — from individuals or small businesses that lack the capability to address these issues, right up to large corporations.
They target key industries and critical infrastructure.
Even government agencies aren’t safe.
These attacks require a comprehensive and coordinated response.
Every day new threats are discovered and attackers find new ways of getting past our defences.
That programme has now evolved into the popular Connect Smart brand and services.
Last December, the Government refreshed our Cyber Security Strategy amid changes in technology and best practice.
The strategy was launched by Amy Adams with an action plan to address cybercrime.
Within that announcement was the Government’s intention to establish our own national Computer Emergency Response Team, or CERT, to defend businesses and infrastructure against cyber-attacks.
So it’s a no brainer that the government and the private sector should work together.
Businesses are the lifeblood of our economy.
A secure internet and thriving digital economy is critical to your commercial success and our economic future.
I wish you well for the rest of the summit today.
Thank you.
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