Investigation: Probable DPRK Online Personas Used To Fraudulently Obtain Remote Employment at U.S. Companies
Contents
Threat Analysis
Investigation: Probable DPRK Online Personas Used To Fraudulently Obtain Remote Employment at U.S. Companies
Executive Summary
Nisos investigators identified a number of online personas probably used by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK, a.k.a. North Korea) information technology (IT) workers to fraudulently obtain remote employment from unwitting companies in the United States. IT workers, like the ones identified, provide a critical stream of revenue that helps fund the DPRK regime’s highest economic and security priorities, such as its weapons development program, and may also leak intellectual property (IP) and other sensitive information to the DPRK. Hiring DPRK employees is a violation of U.S. and United Nations (UN) sanctions.
The identified personas claim to have highly sought after technical skills and experience and often represent themselves as U.S.-based teleworkers, but Nisos investigators found indications that they are based abroad. Boasting expert level skills in mobile and web-based applications as well as a …
Investigation: Probable DPRK Online Personas Used To Fraudulently Obtain Remote Employment at U.S. Companies
Executive Summary
Nisos investigators identified a number of online personas probably used by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK, a.k.a. North Korea) information technology (IT) workers to fraudulently obtain remote employment from unwitting companies in the United States. IT workers, like the ones identified, provide a critical stream of revenue that helps fund the DPRK regime’s highest economic and security priorities, such as its weapons development program, and may also leak intellectual property (IP) and other sensitive information to the DPRK. Hiring DPRK employees is a violation of U.S. and United Nations (UN) sanctions.
The identified personas claim to have highly sought after technical skills and experience and often represent themselves as U.S.-based teleworkers, but Nisos investigators found indications that they are based abroad. Boasting expert level skills in mobile and web-based applications as well as a …