We help protect people, information, and assets.
We do this by:
We have a statutory responsibility for administering New Zealand’s national security clearance vetting process. This role enables us to support effective security across the public sector, by ensuring only those people who are suitable for handing classified information are in a position to do so.
We advise whether a person is suitable for a national security clearance, or whether any risks need to be managed in order for them to hold a clearance. The process can include looking into a candidate’s background, lifestyle, and any other relevant information. The chief executive of the requesting agency makes the final decision about granting a national security clearance.
Find out more about the national security clearance process on the Protective Security Requirements website(external link)
We strive to be protective security exemplars. Alongside the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB), we seek to continuously improve our protective security practices and ensure they remain relevant. These efforts help protect New Zealand’s most sensitive information, facilities, and assets.
We host the New Zealand Intelligence Community Security Services Group (SSG), which provides protective security services to NZSIS, GCSB, and the National Security Group and National Assessments Bureau in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC), as well as some other government departments.
The SSG’s work includes undertaking internal security investigations, providing personnel security, IT security and physical security advice across the New Zealand Intelligence Community. The SSG also hosts some critical security advice and support functions to enable operational and corporate business activity.
The SSG offers proactive advice and guidance on maintaining the best balance between operational requirements, and the effective security of physical sites and IT systems. Through the proactive monitoring and analysing of subscribing agency networks, the SSG also offers assurance on the use of highly sensitive information assets and system access.
The SSG has a specific responsibility to lead on countering insider threats and personnel security functions across government.
An insider threat, or insider, is any person who exploits, or intends to exploit their legitimate access to an agency’s assets to harm the security of their agency or New Zealand, either wittingly or unwittingly, through espionage, terrorism, unauthorised disclosure or information, or loss or degradation of a resource or capability.
Our work in this area includes establishing best practice for identifying and mitigating insider threats, and working with government agencies to prevent, mitigate and respond to actual or potential insider threats.
The SSG also includes the Psychology Services team, which provides NZSIS and GCSB with access to expert advice, in-house psychometric screening, psychological interviews, wellbeing support services and psychological health risk assessment capabilities. Holding this range of expertise ensures the New Zealand Intelligence Community leads in using psychological expertise to both support staff and to protect New Zealand’s national security.
The Protective Security Requirements (PSR) is the New Zealand Government’s best practice security policy framework. It provides advice and guidance to support organisations to build their security capability across the four pillars of security governance, personnel security, information security, and physical security. It outlines 20 mandatory requirements, which provide a foundation for strong security practice, as well as a capability model and information to support organisations to develop a security system that is scalable and fit for their individual environments. It is mandatory for 37 government agencies.
Since the PSR began in 2014, public sector agencies’ skills and understanding of security risk have improved. Other state and private sector organisations have adopted the PSR. It is an enabler in a business environment that needs better protective security practices.
We review and update the PSR regularly to make sure it maintains best practice.
Read more about the PSR on the Protective Security Requirements website(external link)
In partnership with other parts of NZSIS, the PSR Unit increases public awareness of the threat posed by hostile foreign states targeting New Zealand.
For more information on this as well as guidance visit the Protective Security Requirements website(external link)
You can also visit the DPMC Countering Foreign Interference website(external link)
The Director-General of the NZSIS holds the role of Government Protective Security Lead (GPSL). The GPSL provides protective security leadership, guidance, and support for chief executives, organisations, and systems across New Zealand.
The aim of the GPSL is to improve the overall resilience of organisations’ security. The GPSL helps chief executives meet their responsibilities for protecting their organisations and addressing security risks.
The GPSL role sits naturally within the NZSIS, because part of our role is to provide protective security services, advice, and assistance to public authorities.