North Korea · Iran · Lebanon · Cointelegraph
North Korea applying foreign talent to help infiltrate US companies: Report
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The DPRK has turned to third-country IT workers to pass job interviews, after which, the positions are usually taken over by North Korean operatives.
Key facts
- In May, citing cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, that North Korean state-affiliated hackers and threat actors were responsible for more than $2 billion in crypto losses in 2025, a 51% year-on-year
- The Bank of Korea estimates North Korea’s GDP increased 3.5% in 2025 in spite of global sanctions
- NBC reported that foreign IT workers had been scouted on LinkedIn, with some offered $500 monthly in cryptocurrency to work part-time as “interview associates
- The DPRK has turned to third-country IT workers to pass job interviews, after which, the positions are usually taken over by North Korean operatives
Summary
North Korea (DPRK) is now using remote workers from third countries, including Iran and Lebanon, to aid its efforts to infiltrate US companies and obtain money to fund its weapons programs, NBC reported on Friday. An alert issued in July by the US government and several foreign agencies said North Korean IT workers “seek out contracts with the intent of remitting their salaries to their parent North Korean agencies. As the US and other governments have moved to counter North Korea’s efforts, the DPRK has turned increasingly to third-country IT workers to pass job interviews, the report said. NBC reported that foreign IT workers had been scouted on LinkedIn, with some offered $500 monthly in cryptocurrency to work part-time as “interview associates.”