What happened
Zenith Technology Corporation Limited (ZenTech), a Dunedin-based contract research organisation involved in clinical trials, was hit by a cyber attack in or around August 2026 [zentech-injunction-media]. On 10 September 2026 Health New Zealand said clinical trial files attributed to ZenTech had been identified online; Police were investigating and the Health Minister was briefed [zentech-1news], [zentech-hinz]. A ransomware group claimed responsibility for the attack; that claim has not been verified [zentech-ibm].
Data exposed
ZenTech acknowledged only sample material purported to be company data, and neither ZenTech nor Health NZ has confirmed that participant-level health data was taken [zentech-1news], [zentech-moj]. In High Court proceedings the data taken was described as up to 67.1GB, including files owned by Health NZ and third parties [zentech-injunction-media]. On 27 October 2026 the Ministry of Justice confirmed that some Coroners Court information, relating mostly to Otago and Southland cases from 2016–2022, was affected [zentech-moj]. No count of affected individuals has been published, so none is asserted here.
Timeline
- 2026-08 — Cyber attack on ZenTech’s systems, in or around August 2026 [zentech-injunction-media].
- 2026-09-10 — Health NZ confirmed clinical trial files attributed to ZenTech had been identified online; Police investigating; Health Minister Simeon Brown briefed [zentech-1news], [zentech-hinz].
- 2026-09-25 — High Court granted an interim injunction over the data taken (Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora v Unknown Defendants, 2026 NZHC 2938) [zentech-injunction-media].
- 2026-10-27 — Ministry of Justice confirmed some Coroners Court information was affected [zentech-moj].
Current status
Disclosed. Police are investigating [zentech-1news]. The High Court granted an interim injunction on 25 September 2026 [zentech-injunction-media]. No Privacy Commissioner action on ZenTech has been announced.
Why it matters
A compromise of a clinical-trials provider can reach data owned by many other organisations — here including Health NZ and the Coroners Court — showing how a single supplier incident spreads across the health and justice sectors.
Status note: Figures for affected individuals remain pending official confirmation. Updates will be made as ZenTech, Health NZ, or regulatory authorities release verified information. Right of reply available upon contact.