US companies being defrauded by North Korean job schemes

cypac1
Aug 8
2 min read

Happy Friday

I'm at DEFCON this week, the world's largest hacker conference so I'm sure you'll be getting some stories both here and on our Cyber Secured podcast over the next few weeks. But, that doesn't mean you don't get some helpful hints, insights and Friday Funnies (of course)!

An Arizona woman was recently sentenced to over eight years in prison for helping North Korea run a $17 million IT job scam that defrauded more than 300 U.S. companies. She assisted North Korean IT workers in posing as U.S. residents, enabling them to secure remote positions at 309 American firms. These included Fortune 500 companies such as a major television network, a Silicon Valley tech giant, an aerospace manufacturer, a U.S. automaker, a luxury retailer, and a media and entertainment conglomerate.

The workers' paychecks were funneled overseas, while many were granted elevated access within the companies. This access could have allowed them to exfiltrate sensitive data, establish long-term footholds in networks, or conduct ransomware attacks and other forms of sabotage.

The Takeaway

Both the FBI and the State Department have recently issued updated advisories and guidance for HR professionals and businesses, urging caution against such threats and detailing methods used by these illicit IT workers to gain access and generate revenue.

To protect against such schemes, authorities advise businesses to:

Scrutinize identity documents
Thoroughly verify employment history
Implement strict protocols for virtual meetings, including requesting unobscured video backgrounds and checking for AI-generated video anomalies

The pandemic opened the door for remote work and the criminals are taking advantage. Every employer has a duty to protect both their employees and the business. Make sure your workplace has safeguards in place to prevent this kind of disaster from happening to you. Stay safe out there.

-Attila

The Positivity Box

This week French authorities extradited a 39-year-old Nigerian national, Victor Amachukwu to the United States for allegedly hacking into tax preparation businesses and defrauding the IRS of over $2.5M in refunds. He now faces up to 47 years in prison and a lifetime of living with "interesting" neighbors. Thank you France for being our allies in helping us fight cybercrime!

New Friday Funnies!