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3d ago

North Korean Operatives Exploit AI to Infiltrate Over 320 Remote IT Roles in Past Year

This operation uses stolen U.S. identities paired with AI-driven evasion techniques to funnel tech salaries into North Korea’s weapons program.

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People stand near a television showing a news broadcast with file footage of a North Korean missile test, at a railway station in Seoul on March 14, 2023. - North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles on March 14, 2023, Seoul said, Pyongyang's second launch in three days and the first since South Korea and the United States began their largest joint military drills in five years. (Photo by Anthony WALLACE / AFP) (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP via Getty Images)
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un attending a meeting with a committee of the Workers' Party of Korea about the test of a hydrogen bomb, at an unknown location. North Korea said it detonated a hydrogen bomb designed for a long-range missile on September 3, 2017 and called its sixth and most powerful nuclear test a "perfect success", sparking world condemnation and promises of tougher US sanctions.

Overview

  • CrowdStrike recorded a 220% year-over-year surge in incidents, investigating more than 320 cases of North Korean operatives obtaining remote IT positions over the 12 months ending June 30.
  • Operatives relied on generative AI at every stage—from forging resumes and deepfake video interviews to automating daily coding tasks—to avoid detection and manage multiple jobs.
  • The scheme has expanded beyond the United States into Europe, Latin America and other regions, with new “laptop farms” established to facilitate remote work under false identities.
  • The U.S. Department of Justice has prosecuted U.S.-based facilitators and seized laptop farms, including one operation that stole 80 American identities to place operatives at over 100 companies.
  • Security experts warn that as AI-powered tactics outpace traditional defenses, companies must strengthen identity verification and enforce strict need-to-know access controls to counter the threat.