Safeguardian Launches In New Zealand To Combat Rising Cyber Threats

SafeGuardian, a leading cybersecurity company, today announced its entry into the New Zealand market, offering comprehensive security solutions to protect Kiwi businesses from increasingly sophisticated cyber-attacks.

"New Zealand businesses are facing unprecedented cybersecurity challenges," said Kerry Paltridge, CEO of SafeGuardian. "Our mission is to provide Kiwi companies with the best global security tools and threat visibility solutions, while supporting them with local experts. In this environment, it is imperative to deliver solutions to organisations that effectively defend against these rapidly evolving threats."

SafeGuardian's approach addresses critical gaps in New Zealand's IT and OT security landscape:

1. Tailored, hands-on advisory services that offer pragmatic outcomes to, often complex, governance and compliance requirements.
2. 24/7/365 threat detection and response, delivering global visibility and response with a local context.
3. Enhanced visibility across both OT and IT environments, providing a single source of truth for your security posture.
4. Advice, training and assessment of people, process and solutions to secure the full lifecycles of code development.

"Many New Zealand businesses lack the internal resources to effectively manage cyber risks," explained Paltridge. "Our team, with over 75 years of combined experience, brings world-class capabilities to the local market, wrapped with local expertise."

The launch comes at a critical time. According to CERT NZ, financial losses to cybercrime increased in the second quarter of 2024, with the majority coming from large incidents. The most common attack methods include phishing (37%), third-party cyber-attacks (28%), and cloud misconfigurations and vulnerabilities (28%).

SafeGuardian's services align with recent security guidance from the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, which emphasises the importance of robust cybersecurity measures for tech start-ups and businesses. The guidance highlights the need for strong access controls, regular security assessments, and comprehensive data protection strategies - all areas where SafeGuardian excels.

"In light of the Five Eyes security guidance, it's clear that businesses, especially tech start-ups, need to prioritise cybersecurity from day one," Paltridge added. "SafeGuardian is uniquely positioned to help New Zealand companies implement these crucial security measures, protecting not just their data, but their intellectual property and competitive edge in the global market."

Despite these challenges, 85% of businesses report confidence in their cyber security safeguards. However, SafeGuardian cautions against complacency. "Cyber security is a continuous exercise and needs to evolve to meet any operational changes," Paltridge emphasised.

About SafeGuardian:

SafeGuardian is a cybersecurity company run by IT security professionals with over 75 years of combined experience. The company specialises in protecting businesses from cyber-attacks, privacy breaches, and intellectual property theft. For more information about SafeGuardian and its services, visit www.safeguardian.co.nz.

Directors Bios:

Tony Jenkins

“With over 25 years in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector, Tony brings a wealth of expertise, including 13 years specialising in cybersecurity. As co-founder and director of SafeGuardian, Tony’s career features pivotal roles as Security Lead at globally recognised industry Dimension Data and Westcon. Tony's experience is further enriched by his tenure at Security-Assessment.com, New Zealand's pioneering penetration testing team. Renowned as a trusted adviser, Tony is a passionate advocate for robust security practices, helping organisations fortify their digital defences in an ever-evolving threat landscape.”

Kerry Paltridge

Kerry Paltridge is a cybersecurity expert with over 25 years of experience in IT security, recruitment, networks, and data centre management. As co-founder and director of SafeGuardian, he leads the delivery of trusted, locally-owned cybersecurity solutions. Kerry's expertise spans managed MDR, penetration testing, DevSecOps training, and incident response. His unique blend of recruitment knowledge and IT security focus has been instrumental in government and enterprise security projects. Kerry also holds directorships at RWA Technology People and Virtis Datacentres, further solidifying his position as a leader in the Australian IT security landscape.

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