Unwittingly Hiring a North Korean Hacker
US security vendor KnowBe4 recently revealed that it had unknowingly hired a North Korean hacker who attempted to load malware onto the company’s network. This incident, described by KnowBe4 CEO Stu Sjouwerman as a cautionary tale, fortunately did not result in any unauthorized access or data loss.
Background Check and Video Interviews
KnowBe4 followed its standard hiring process when bringing on the North Korean hacker, including posting the job, conducting interviews, running background checks, and verifying references. Despite using a stolen U.S. identity and an artificially enhanced photo, the hacker managed to pass all the pre-hiring checks. The individual was hired as a lead software engineer, but suspicious activity was flagged soon after the new employee started.
Insider Threat from North Korea
Analysis by KnowBe4’s Security Operations Center (SOC) revealed that the malware was loaded intentionally by the user. The company suspects that the hacker may be an insider threat or a state actor. The incident is currently under investigation by the FBI, with suspicions that the individual may have been logging into the company’s systems remotely from North Korea.
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