North Korean IT Workers Infiltrate the Encryption Industry

Multiple cryptocurrency companies unknowingly hired IT workers from North Korea, including some well-known projects. These employees successfully passed interviews and background checks using fake identities and provided real work experience.

In countries that sanction North Korea, such as the United States, it is illegal to employ North Korean workers. This also brings security risks, as some companies have faced hacking attacks after hiring North Korean IT workers.

These North Korean IT workers often use fake passports and IDs, and showcase impressive GitHub code contribution histories. Their technical abilities vary greatly, with some just looking to "earn a few months' salary," while others are very outstanding.

Many employers have stated that certain anomalies become more significant when they suspect that an employee might be North Korean, such as discrepancies between working hours and location, or multiple people impersonating one individual.

Some companies immediately fired employees after discovering their connections to North Korea and strengthened security measures. However, some companies also suffered massive losses due to hacker attacks.

North Korean IT workers are often associated with hacking activities. They gather information through social engineering and contribute to North Korea's cyber attacks.

Overall, the infiltration of North Korean IT workers in the encryption industry is more common than imagined. Although countries like the United States have yet to prosecute companies that employ North Korean workers, this still poses legal and security risks. Encryption companies need to remain vigilant and strengthen background checks and security measures.