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North Korean Hackers Exploit Remote Work to Fund Weapons Programs
18 Nov
Summary
- 5 men pleaded guilty to assisting North Koreans in obtaining US IT jobs
- Scheme generated over $2.2M in revenue for North Korean regime
- Hackers used remote access software to create false appearance of US-based workers
In a concerning development, five men have recently pleaded guilty to assisting North Korean hackers in obtaining remote IT jobs at US companies. The scheme, orchestrated by the notorious APT38 hacking group, aimed to steal millions of dollars in job revenue and cryptocurrencies to fund North Korea's weapons programs.
The defendants provided their own or stolen identities to North Korean IT workers, allowing them to bypass laws prohibiting their employment. They also hosted company-provided laptops at their residences to create the false appearance that the workers were operating domestically. In total, the fraudulent employment scheme impacted over 136 US companies and generated more than $2.2 million in revenue for the North Korean regime.
The Justice Department is now seeking to seize over $15 million in cryptocurrency that the hackers had stolen through various heists. This latest crackdown highlights the ongoing threat posed by North Korean cyber actors, who have become increasingly bold and sophisticated in their efforts to fund the country's weapons programs.
