It has come to light that dozens of companies listed in the Fortune 100 have unknowingly hired North Korean employees. Since 2020, North Korean hackers have successfully placed thousands of workers in remote jobs within these companies.
How Did North Korean Hackers Manage to Work Remotely in U.S. Tech Companies?
The surge in remote work during the pandemic appears to have become a major problem for U.S. tech companies. North Korean hackers applied for remote job postings, posing as citizens from other countries and claiming to reside outside North Korea. Many were able to secure multiple remote positions, allowing them to infiltrate company networks under the guise of legitimate employees.
Starting in 2023, U.S. intelligence began uncovering these fake employees. The first sign came in 2022 when an intelligence report revealed that North Korean hacker groups were working for U.S. companies under false identities. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that more than 60 U.S. citizens had shared their personal information with North Korean hackers. Using this data, hackers applied for various jobs and were hired to work remotely, not only to gain access to sensitive company information but also to generate income.
After Amazon called its employees back to the office for 5 days, the remote working rate in large companies became a subject of curiosity.
According to reports, between 2020 and 2023, these remote North Korean IT workers managed to earn over $6.8 million. U.S. intelligence believes this income was used to finance North Korea’s hacking activities.
Despite the limited access that remote work typically grants, U.S. intelligence is still concerned. There is a fear that undetected North Korean operatives may still be employed, and sensitive technological or personal data could fall into their hands. There are also questions about how these hackers managed to pass through U.S. tech company interviews so easily, exploiting this apparent vulnerability in remote hiring processes.
What do you think? How could major tech companies have shown such a serious vulnerability in their remote work models? Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions.
