Being hacked, scammed, or losing information happens more often than you think. Between January and March 2023 Cert NZ responded to almost 2,000 reports of cyber incidents from both individuals and business.
When you’ve had an issue online, it can be hard to know what to do next. Where do I go, what do I do? Here are some steps to follow after a cyber issue.
Contain it
If someone has got hold of your information or accessed your systems, it’s important you stop them from getting anything further. Start by resetting your passwords and/or changing your pin numbers.
If you suspect your ID credentials (such as a driver license) or statements have been stolen, let the issuing organisation know and call the bank to cancel or block any affected cards. The most common identity misuses reported to IDCARE are the creation of new accounts (such as credit card or transaction accounts) or gaining access to existing bank accounts.
Assess it
Understanding what they’ve been able to access or what’s been lost will help with the recovery process. Monitor your accounts for any suspicious activity such as any changes to your settings e.g., email forwarding rules or unauthorised transactions. Note the date and time of any changes if you can. These sites can be useful to check for unauthorized credit requests, or if your email or phone has been in a data breach:
Report it!
Police
If you believe you are, or have been, the victim of fraud report it to the Police at 105.police.govt.nz, or call 105.
Privacy commission
If there has been a privacy breach it is compulsory to report this under the Privacy Act 2020 if it may cause serious harm or is likely to do so. The privacy commission has an online tool to help you assess and report privacy breaches.