October 19, 2023 at 11:30AM
IT workers contracted with U.S. companies have been secretly sending millions of dollars in wages to North Korea for its ballistic missile program, according to the FBI and the Department of Justice. The workers used false identities and their earnings were funneled to the North Korean weapons program. The investigation is ongoing, and $1.5 million and 17 domain names have been seized so far. The workers also infiltrated computer networks and stole information from the companies that hired them. North Korea has been actively increasing its production of nuclear weapons.
Summary of Meeting Notes:
During the meeting, FBI and Department of Justice officials revealed that thousands of IT workers contracted with U.S. companies have been secretly sending millions of dollars of their wages to North Korea for its ballistic missile program. These workers have been using false identities to secure jobs with companies in St. Louis and other locations in the U.S. The FBI announced the seizure of $1.5 million and 17 domain names as part of their ongoing investigation into the scheme. Companies that hired freelance IT workers are likely to have unknowingly participated in this scheme, highlighting the need for increased vigilance and identity verification by employers. The workers, dispatched by the North Korean government to live mostly in China and Russia, not only sent money to benefit North Korea’s weapons programs but also infiltrated computer networks and stole information from the companies that hired them. They maintained access for future hacking and extortion activities. The workers employed various techniques to appear as if they were working in the U.S., such as paying Americans to use their home Wi-Fi connections. These revelations come at a time of heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula, with North Korea conducting multiple missile tests and calling for a larger role in a coalition confronting the United States. In addition, United Nations experts reported that North Korean hackers stole between $630 million and over $1 billion worth of virtual assets last year, further highlighting the country’s involvement in cybercrime.