Amazon Blocks 1,800 Job Applications from Suspected North Korean Agents
Amazon has taken significant measures to secure its hiring process by blocking over 1,800 job applications believed to be from suspected North Korean agents. This alarming trend sheds light on the growing sophistication of cyber operations orchestrated by Pyongyang.
The Scale of the Issue
– Job Application Increases: Over the past year, Amazon has reported a nearly one-third rise in job applications from individuals linked to North Korea.
– Method of Operation: Suspected agents have utilized stolen or fake identities to apply for remote IT positions. Their main goal is straightforward: to gain employment, receive payment, and subsequently funnel these wages back to support North Korea’s weapons programs.
Sophisticated Strategies Employed
According to Stephen Schmidt, Amazon’s chief security officer, the tactics used by these operatives have evolved, making detection more challenging:
– Laptop Farms: These operatives often collaborate with individuals managing “laptop farms”—networks of computers based in the U.S. but operated remotely from abroad.
– Hijacked Accounts: Fraudsters are increasingly hijacking inactive LinkedIn accounts using stolen credentials, allowing them to pose as legitimate candidates.
Warning Signs for Employers
Schmidt emphasizes the importance of vigilance among employers. Here are some indicators that may signify fraudulent applications:
– Misformatted Phone Numbers: Be wary of applications with unusual or incorrect formats.
– Mismatched Education Histories: Look for inconsistencies in candidates’ educational backgrounds.
Government Intervention
The U.S. government, alongside South Korean authorities, has issued warnings regarding these deceptive practices. In June, the Department of Justice unveiled 29 illegally run laptop farms across the U.S., operated by North Korean IT workers using forged identities to gain employment.
– Legal Action: The DOJ has not only identified these schemes but has also indicted U.S. brokers who facilitated jobs for North Korean operatives.
– Recent Sentencing: In July, one woman from Arizona was sentenced to over eight years in prison for running a laptop farm that assisted North Korean nationals in securing remote positions with more than 300 U.S. companies, generating illicit gains exceeding $17 million (£12.6 million).
Conclusion
As the threat from suspected North Korean agents grows, companies like Amazon are taking proactive steps to safeguard their hiring processes. It is crucial for employers to remain vigilant and report any suspicious job applications to the relevant authorities. By doing so, they can help mitigate the risk of inadvertently supporting efforts that could empower the regime’s harmful activities.