North Koreans Disguising Themselves as Americans: A Surprising Trend in Remote Work

Recent reports indicate that thousands of North Koreans have successfully infiltrated Fortune 500 companies and cryptocurrency firms by posing as American employees. While their tactics for securing these jobs are quite advanced, catching them is surprisingly straightforward: simply ask, “How fat is Kim Jong Un?”

The Strategy Behind Posing as American Workers

According to Adam Meyers, Senior Vice President of Counter Adversary Operations at cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, this seemingly crude question can instantly expose North Korean applicants. Speaking at the RSA Conference, Meyers noted that asking this during an interview often leads to immediate termination of the call by the candidate. “It’s not worth it to say something negative,” he explained, as reported by The Register.

Identifying North Korean Applicants: What to Look For

Meyers also highlighted other red flags to be aware of during interviews. “Typically, you might see an applicant from Poland with a complex name who, when on a Zoom call, turns out to be a military-aged male from Asia struggling to pronounce it,” he said.

Effective Tactics Used by Companies

This approach isn’t unique to Meyers. Harrison Leggio, founder of cryptocurrency startup g8keep, also shared that his company has received a flood of applications from North Korean citizens posing as IT professionals. To filter these applicants, Leggio concludes interviews with the question, “Say something negative about Kim Jong Un.” He noted that other founders have employed similar tactics to combat these infiltration attempts.

The Credibility of These Claims

But how valid are these allegations? While the scenario sounds almost surreal, details from Meyers confirm that these infiltration efforts often involve the creation of elaborate backstories and fake social media profiles. Candidates typically work in teams, presenting as a single applicant during technical interviews. If they are prompted to say anything negative about their leader, however, they often abort the call, which raises questions about their preparedness.

The Financial Impact of North Korean IT Workers

Despite these red flags, the success rate for North Koreans infiltrating these companies may not be as low as one would think. Reports indicate they are still funneling millions of dollars back to the North Korean regime. According to the FBI, North Korean IT scams have generated between $250 million and $600 million annually since 2018, with the workers themselves retaining only a fraction of that income.

Performance After Hiring: A Double-Edged Sword

Interestingly, once these North Korean workers are employed, they often perform exceedingly well. FBI Special Agent Elizabeth Pelker, who also spoke at the RSA Conference, shared that companies frequently hesitate to terminate these employees upon discovering their true identities, recognizing their reliability and performance.

Looking Ahead: The Future of North Korean Workers in Global Markets

Just imagine the potential earnings if these workers were permitted to express even a single negative opinion about Kim Jong Un.

FAQs About North Korean Infiltration in Remote Work

Are North Korean workers really infiltrating American companies?

Yes, reports indicate that many North Koreans have successfully secured remote jobs in Fortune 500 companies and crypto firms by disguising themselves as American citizens.

What tactics do they use to secure jobs?

North Korean applicants often create elaborate backstories and fake social media profiles to match their assumed identities. They typically work in teams to present a unified front during interviews.

Why is asking about Kim Jong Un effective?

Asking candidates to speak negatively about Kim Jong Un often results in them aborting the interview, as it poses a significant risk to their safety and loyalty to the regime.

How much money do these scams generate for North Korea?

According to the FBI, North Korean IT scams have generated between $250 million to $600 million every year since 2018.