Security News > 2021 > September > New Zealand DDoS wave targets banks, post offices, weather forecasters and more

Banks and post offices in New Zealand have been hit by a cyber offensive, according to reports, consisting of sustained DDoS attacks against a number of critical online services.

Local cybersecurity agency NZ-CERT added to the general air of mystery, saying in a statement on its website that it was "Aware of a DDoS attack targeting a number of New Zealand organisations. We are monitoring the situation and are working with affected parties where we can."

Back in July, New Zealand formally attributed the malicious activities of APT40 to the Chinese Ministry of State Security, with NZ security minister Andrew Little urging China to end "This type of malicious activity, which undermines global stability and security".

Research published by FireEye in 2019 into APT40's actions included a list of targeted nation states - and New Zealand was not one of them, though a lot can change in two years.

Current affairs magazine The Diplomat, which focuses on the Asia-Pacific region, characterised Little's attribution as "Unusually forthright" while in an interview with the UK's Guardian newspaper foreign minister Nanaia Mahuta warned in May that New Zealand could find itself "In the eye of the storm" if China's cyber cold war with Australia spilled southeast.

The diplomatic silence of New Zealand's establishment on the identity or motivations of such a wide-ranging set of DDoSes over a relatively lengthy period of time could be an indicator that they hope to quietly placate the attacker behind the scenes.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2021/09/08/new_zealand_ddos_attacks_widespread/