FBI warns U.S. of data extortion, espionage by fake North Korean IT workers
- North Korean hackers have recently impersonated job applicants to fraudulently gain employment in western firms, targeting remote roles.
- This campaign, known as Nickel Tapestry, started around 2016 and shifted focus to European and Japanese organizations as U.S. Firms became more aware.
- The attackers pose as software recruiters to hire freelancers, steal credentials, exfiltrate data, and spread malware in industries with sensitive information like defense.
- The Lazarus group earned about $1.5 billion from related crypto scams, with $300 million unrecoverable from a single incident, showing the campaign’s lucrative nature.
- Organizations are urged to verify candidates carefully, monitor insider threats and unusual activity, and prefer in-person interviews to detect fraudulent workers.
23 Articles
23 Articles
Silent infiltration: Hackers on the payroll - Daily NK English
The revelation that North Korean IT operatives have successfully infiltrated numerous Fortune 500 companies highlights a dangerous evolution in state-sponsored cyber threats. These schemes—where North Korean agents pose as remote tech workers using stolen identities and deepfake technology—have reportedly generated tens of millions of dollars funneled directly to Pyongyang’s weapons programs. The sophistication of these operations, with laptop f…
North Korea’s ‘state-run syndicate’ looks at cyber operations as a survival mechanism
Over the past few years, cybersecurity experts have increasingly said that nation-state operatives and cybercriminals often blur the boundaries between geopolitical and financial motivations. A new report released Wednesday shows how North Korea has flipped that idea on its head. North Korea has silently forged a global cyber operation that experts now liken to a mafia syndicate, with tactics and organization far removed from other nation-state…

Strider Report Uncovers PRC-Based Network of Companies Affiliated with Organization Sanctioned for Aiding North Korean IT Worker Scheme
Research uncovered 35 companies based in the People's Republic of China that may be helping generate illicit revenue for the DPRK government
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