Created in 2022 by CERT NZ (now part of the NCSC) and The Research Agency.
Many New Zealanders view cyber security as something for the tech-minded, but the reality is everyday people are at the centre of it.
New Zealanders are increasingly experiencing cyber security incidents, and as a result are losing their money, information and privacy.
The good news is many cyber security incidents can be prevented, or have less impact, when protective measures are put in place.
This includes seemingly simple actions like changing privacy settings in social media and using long, strong and unique passwords.
Although we say these actions are simple, people aren’t always taking them despite their best intentions – and there isn’t one single reason for this. A number of barriers prevent people from taking action to improve their online security.
For example, some people don’t believe cyber security threats are relevant to them; where as others aren’t aware of how and why cyber security incidents happen. Some underestimate the possible impacts these incidents can have
or aren’t aware what steps they can take to protect against them.
Behavioural science can play a role in understanding and overcoming these barriers and unlocking opportunities to help people take action and better
protect themselves online. This research is for government and industry agencies who are working in the area of online security, and its purpose is to share insights about how to improve the effectiveness of cyber security interventions.
Cyber Change: Behavioural insights for being secure online [PDF, 737 KB] External Link