Tonga has joined an INTERPOL regional cybercrime initiative years after a major ransomware attack exposed weaknesses in the Kingdom’s digital infrastructure.
An INTERPOL Asia and South Pacific Cyber Threat Assessment Report 2025/2026 says Tonga is among the Pacific nations participating in the first phase of the Asia and South Pacific Joint Operations against Cybercrime (ASPJOC), a programme funded by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
The initiative supports Tonga and neighbouring Pacific nations through cybercrime intelligence gathering and analysis, information sharing, coordinated operations, and programmes designed to strengthen law enforcement responses to increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
Participating countries include Fiji, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste and Vanuatu.
INTERPOL’s latest report echoes those concerns, noting that many small island states in the Pacific face challenges in cybersecurity preparedness, technical expertise and resources, making them vulnerable to cybercriminal activity and transnational attacks.
The report says stronger cooperation, intelligence sharing, technical training and investment in cyber resilience are essential as ransomware, online scams, phishing campaigns and AI-enabled cybercrime continue to escalate throughout the region.
Tonga’s inclusion in the programme comes as the Kingdom continues to address vulnerabilities exposed by a major ransomware attack on the National Health Information System in 2025, during which hackers encrypted the health database and demanded a US$1 million ransom.
The government refused to pay and later restored the system with assistance from cybersecurity specialists from Australia and New Zealand.
Following the incident, the then Minister of Police said Tonga needed greater standardisation and centralisation of its government networks to improve security and strengthen the country’s ability to defend itself against global cyberattacks.
