19 Oct 2023

NZ private sector vulnerable to espionage: SIS head

From Nine To Noon, 9:05 am on 19 October 2023
(left to right) Former US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice; FBI Director Christopher Wray; MI5 Director General Ken McCallum; NZSIS Director-General Andrew Hampton; Canadian Security Intelligence Service Director David Vigneault; Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Director-General Mike Burgess. At the Emerging Technology and Securing Innovation Summit in Palo Alto, California, on October 16, 2023.

(left to right) Former US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice; FBI Director Christopher Wray; MI5 Director General Ken McCallum; NZSIS Director-General Andrew Hampton; Canadian Security Intelligence Service Director David Vigneault; Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Director-General Mike Burgess. At the Emerging Technology and Securing Innovation Summit in Palo Alto, California, on October 16, 2023. Photo: supplied

New Zealand tech and innovation businesses are vulnerable to the threat of industrial espionage by state actors, according to the head of the spy agency.

Andrew Hampton, the Director General of the Security Intelligence Service, met yesterday with Five Eyes partner agencies: the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Canada. 

For the first time the Five Eyes agencies jointly went public about the common threat of new technology.

The group also discussed escalating tensions in the Middle East and the threat implications around the world. 

Andrew Hampton tells Kathryn there are undoubtedly bad actors who will try to exploit New Zealand private sector businesses, especially those who need investment.