An expert in cyber security believes New Zealand needs to up its game.
There's currently a worldwide shortage of people with advanced cyber skills, with a recent report revealing more than 1 million available positions in the industry.
NZ Tech chief executive Graeme Muller says New Zealand needs to take advantage.
"There are not enough people being trained up to actually man the companies with the skills to protect us from the attacks, so there's a skills storage."
Mr Muller and others from the IT industry are due to discuss the issue at the New Zealand security summit in Wellington on Monday.
He says New Zealand has an opportunity to be a world leader in cyber security management if the sector receives adequate support.
"It will also be seen as a safe place to house your data and house your money, so I think in the long run if we focus on this it presents an opportunity for the country, rather than just a threat."
Mr Muller adds New Zealanders are currently behind the eight ball when it comes to understanding cyber risks.
"We don't leave the back window of the house open when we go away for a week. That kind of behaviour has changed, because we all realised it wasn't the right thing to do.
"At the moment, working people and the public are still leaving the backdoor of their computer systems open."
Newshub.
