Company Hacked After Hiring North Korean Cybercriminals as Remote IT Workers – Details Inside Economics News

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New Delhi: According to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), a North Korean cybercriminal successfully hacked into a Western company’s network by posing as a remote IT worker. The company, believed to be based in the UK, US or Australia, allowed cybersecurity firm Secureworks to disclose the incident. This highlights the risk of North Korean cybercriminals targeting international businesses.

What happened?

North Korean cybercriminals are now using false information to gain remote job opportunities at Western companies, according to Secureworks. Once hired, they exploit employees’ access to steal sensitive company information. In some cases, they even used the stolen information to blackmail their employers after leaving the company.

According to the BBC, cybercriminals were hired as contractors this summer. He used employee access to log into the company network, download as much sensitive information as possible, and transmit confidential information outside the company.

The man worked for the company for four months before being fired due to poor performance. After being fired, he sent extortion emails threatening to leak or sell the company’s sensitive data unless he was paid a six-figure sum in cryptocurrency. It’s unclear whether the company agreed to his request.

This incident is not an isolated case. Since 2022, there have been multiple reports of North Korean cybercriminals being employed by Western companies. These criminals benefit from well-paying remote jobs while avoiding sanctions. In September, Mandiant cyber responders revealed that dozens of Fortune 100 companies were unknowingly employing North Koreans. However, instances of these workers rebelling against their employers remain rare.

Rafe Pilling, director of threat intelligence at Secureworks, explained to the BBC that the case marks a serious escalation of the risks posed by North Korea’s IT worker program. “They are no longer just looking for a regular paycheck, but are seeking larger sums through data theft and extortion within the company,” he noted.

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