CORTEX
We work with nationally significant government and private-sector organisations to supply advanced cyber threat detection and disruption capabilities developed through the CORTEX initiative.
These capabilities counter advanced foreign malware that is typically beyond the capability of commercially available products and services to detect and prevent. Protected organisations include government agencies, key economic generators, niche exporters, research institutions, and operators of critical national infrastructure.
The capabilities protect against theft of intellectual property, loss of customer data, destruction or dissemination of private communications, holding data for ransom, and damage to IT networks and services. We do not disclose the identities of individual organisations receiving CORTEX protection. Doing so might help to confirm where some of New Zealand’s most valuable information is held and so increase the targeting of cyber attacks.
Our cyber security capabilities operate under the Intelligence and Security Act 2017 and are part of New Zealand’s Cyber Security Strategy. These capabilities cannot be used for purposes other than cyber security, and they operate with the explicit agreement of the organisations we protect.
CORTEX was the winner of the 2018 iSANZ Award for Best Security Project or Initiative, and the 2018 IPANZ Award for Building Trust and Confidence in Government.