Background
5. The Government released in 2005 its Digital Strategy in order to guide government action in helping to ensure that all New Zealanders are able to enjoy the benefits of ICT. In particular, the development and widespread use of ICT is considered to be a key factor in fostering economic growth.
6. One of the key enablers of the Digital Strategy is "confidence" as threats such as viruses, internet fraud and identity theft undermine the confidence of users and their willingness to use ICT. There are also threats to networks such as denial of service attacks. The Internet and telecommunications infrastructure are considered to be critical infrastructure for New Zealand.
7. In November 2004 the E-government Unit (now the ICT Branch) in the State Services Commission produced a report entitled Trust and Security on the Internet which assessed threats on the Internet as they relate to e-government. It provides a useful guide to many of the current threats arising from information and communication technologies.
8. In recent years the government has sought to make legislative changes which take account of changes in information and communications technology. Examples of this are the Electronic Transactions Act 2003 (clarifying the legal position around electronic commerce), amendments to the Crimes Act 1961 (changes to the definitions of "property" and "document", provision for crimes involving computers, and extending the application of communication interception offences), proposed changes to the Copyright Act to address the implications of digital technologies, and the introduction of the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Bill to address the problem of spam.
9. Government agencies have also responded to the increased importance of information and communication technologies through the creation of specialist units to deal with technology-based policy and threats such as the Information Technology and Telecommunications Policy Group in the Ministry of Economic Development, the ICT Branch in the State Services Commission, the E-crime unit in the New Zealand Police and the Centre for Critical Infrastructure Protection.
10. Business has been active in the area of ICT security. New ICT security products and services have been developed, businesses have incorporated ICT security planning and processes into their operations and systems, and codes of practice have been developed in order to support good safety and security practices by the ICT industry in the provision of its services.
11. There has also been a growth in specialist ICT sector organisations such as the Internet Safety Group, InternetNZ, and the New Zealand Computer Society. These organisations are able to advise and coordinate on ICT security issues.
12. The general public has become more aware of ICT safety and security issues as a result of the widespread adoption of new ICT technologies and increased publicity on the threats to which users and infrastructure are now exposed.
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