July 24, 2024 at 01:36PM
KnowBe4 hired a North Korean state actor posing as a Principal Software Engineer. The company stopped the attempted installation of information-stealing software. The actor evaded background checks and used AI tools to create a fake identity. KnowBe4 detected the threat through its security product and now recommends isolating new hires’ devices from critical network parts.
Based on the meeting notes, the key takeaways are:
1. A North Korean state actor was hired by KnowBe4 as a Principal Software Engineer and attempted to install information-stealing malware on company devices.
2. The hired individual used stolen identity and AI tools to deceive the company during the hiring process.
3. The malicious actions were detected and stopped in time, preventing a data breach.
4. KnowBe4 CEO Stu Sjouwerman highlighted the scheme used by the attacker, involving an “IT mule laptop farm” and VPN connections to deceive the employer.
5. KnowBe4 recommends maintaining a sandbox for new hires isolated from critical network parts and ensuring that new hire’s external devices are not used remotely. Additionally, shipping address inconsistencies should be treated as a red flag.
These takeaways emphasize the sophistication and persistence of state-sponsored threat actors posing as legitimate IT professionals and the importance of robust security measures and verifications during the hiring process to mitigate such risks.