NK News, a media specializing in North Korean news, reported that a North Korean hacker used stolen American identification and AI-generated facial images to secure a job at a cybersecurity company.
According to NK News, KnowBe4, a company providing security awareness training, recently fell victim to a hacker hired as a remote software engineer.
The hacker reportedly passed multiple video interviews and identity verifications using AI-generated photos.
However, the hacker installed malware on the company-provided laptop shortly after starting the job. This prompted KnowBe4’s security team to investigate and alert the FBI, ultimately leading to the hacker’s exposure.
The hacker reportedly utilized methods such as Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to appear to be working in the U.S. time zone.
NK News pointed out that this incident illustrates North Korea’s advanced hacking capabilities. In 2023, the expert panel of the UN Security Council’s North Korea sanctions committee revealed that up to 10,000 North Korean nationals are covertly employed in freelance IT roles to earn funds for North Korea’s weapons development efforts.