New Zealand's spy agency has been brought in to help fight back against cyberattacks that crippled the country's stock exchange for a fourth straight day on Friday.
Finance Minister Grant Robertson said the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) intelligence agency had joined efforts to contain the threat, which market operator NZX claimed was foreign-sourced but provided no further details.
"There are limits to what I can say about what action the government is taking behind the scenes due to significant security considerations," Roberts told reporters.
"But we are aware of the impact this is having on the market and officials have been working with the NZX.
"Ministers have asked the GCSB to assist, and the National Cyber Security Centre within the GCSB are assisting."
He added that the National Security System -- which is intended to ensure a coordinated response between intelligence agencies and government during a crisis -- had been activated.
"The GCSB's capability is the thing that is in play here, they know a lot about cyberattacks," he said. "We can apply that capability to a company (NZX) who obviously have a critical role."
Experts have told local media that possible perpetrators include a state-sponsored incursion, online activists with an anti-capitalist agenda such as Anonymous, or a criminal enterprise seeking a ransom.
Asked if NZX had received a ransom request, Robertson replied: "I'm not aware of that, that's something you'll have to take up with GCSB."
The GCSB declined to comment.
Regulators from the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) said the exchange had told it that investors' data had not been compromised.
"In the circumstances, the ..
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