Have you ever by accident employed a North Korean IT employee who’s spying in your firm? • Graham Cluley

South Korea and america’s FBI are warning organisations that they could have inadvertently recruited a North Korean spy to work of their IT division.

The USA and South Korea first issued advice to corporations in 2022 in regards to the measures they need to take to keep away from hiring North Korean freelance coders and IT employees, warning of dangers together with the theft of mental property, information, and funds, in addition to reputational hurt and authorized penalties.

Then corporations and recruitment companies have been suggested to be on the look out for suspicious behaviour, together with accessing firm programs from a number of IP addresses, working odd hours, and identify spelling inconsistencies throughout completely different on-line platforms.

Signal as much as our free e-newsletter.
Safety information, recommendation, and suggestions.

Now, in an updated advisory, further “purple flags” have been listed which could point out that your new rent is definitely working for North Korea:

Unwillingness or incapacity to seem on digital camera, conduct video interviews or video conferences; inconsistencies after they do seem on digital camera, equivalent to time, location, or look.

Undue concern about necessities of a drug check or in individual conferences and having the lack to take action.

Indications of dishonest on coding exams or when answering employment questionnaires and interview questions. These can embrace extreme pausing, stalling, and eye scanning actions indicating studying, and giving incorrect but plausible-sounding solutions.

Social media and different on-line profiles that don’t match the employed particular person’s offered resume, a number of on-line profiles for a similar id with completely different photos, or on-line profiles with no image.

House tackle for provision of laptops or different firm supplies is a freight forwarding tackle or quickly adjustments upon hiring.

Training on resume is listed as universities in China, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, or different Asian nations with employment virtually solely in america, the Republic of Korea, and Canada.

Repeated requests for prepayment; anger or aggression when the request is denied.

Threats to launch proprietary supply codes if further funds will not be made.

Account points at numerous suppliers, change of accounts, and requests to make use of different freelancer corporations or completely different fee strategies

Language preferences are in Korean however the person claims to be from a non-Korean talking nation or area.

Hmm.. I can simply think about how I would set off not less than a few these purple flags!

As well as, some sensible tips are offered for the way recruiters can higher vet candidates to forestall the unwitting hiring of North Korean IT employees.

I’m wondering what number of organisations will truly go to all this effort.

If corporations consider they’ve discovered an excellent candidate for a job, and the wannabe IT employee’s wage necessities aren’t out of orbit, I can think about many corporations may welcome them with open arms lengthy earlier than suspicions start to rise that they is perhaps exploiting their entry to the corporate’s community and information.

Discovered this text fascinating? Follow Graham Cluley on Twitter, Mastodon, or Threads to learn extra of the unique content material we submit.