Company Hacked After Unknowingly Hiring North Korean Cybercriminal as Remote IT Employee: Report | Indiablooms

London/IBNS: A North Korean cybercriminal successfully secured a remote IT position at an unknown company and then hacked into its systems, according to a BBC report.

The company, based in the UK, US or Australia, has chosen to remain anonymous but allowed cybersecurity firm Secureworks to reveal details of the attack to raise awareness of the growing threat of North Korean cybercriminals infiltrating Western companies.

North Korean hackers have begun using fake credentials to land remote jobs at Western companies, according to Secureworks.

Once hired, these cybercriminals exploit their access to corporate networks to steal sensitive data and, in some cases, extort their employers.

In one such case, reported by the BBC, a suspected male cybercriminal from North Korea was hired as a contractor over the summer.

Because he had access to the company’s systems through its remote tools, he immediately began downloading sensitive information.

By secretly transmitting sensitive data outside the company, the criminal was able to collect four months’ salary before being fired for poor performance.

Following his termination, the company received ransom threats, with the former contractor demanding payment in exchange for not disclosing or selling the stolen data.

According to the report, it is unclear whether the company paid the ransom.

This incident is part of a broader pattern as cybersecurity authorities have warned since 2022 that North Korean agents are using fraudulent data to secure well-paying remote jobs in Western countries and thereby evade international sanctions.

To date, however, it has been relatively rare for these workers to turn against their employer and engage in hacking activities.

Rafe Pilling, director of threat intelligence at Secureworks, told the BBC: “This represents a serious escalation of the threat from North Korean IT worker programs.”

“They are no longer just seeking fixed salaries, but are now seeking larger payouts through data theft and extortion within corporate defense,” Pilling added.