The US, Japan and South Korea pledged to intensify efforts to block North Korea’s use of overseas IT workers to raise money for its weapons programs, warning that Pyongyang’s operatives are using increasingly sophisticated tactics to evade detection.
North Korean programmers, often posing as non-North Korean freelancers with fake identities and locations, are winning contracts worldwide, including in North America, Europe and East Asia, according to a joint statement issued by the three countries on Aug. 27.
Authorities say many rely on artificial intelligence tools and foreign facilitators to conceal their identities, while some are directly involved in malicious cyber activities, particularly in the blockchain sector.
“They take advantage of existing demands for advanced IT skills to obtain freelance employment contracts from an expanding number of target clients throughout the world,” the US, Japan and South Korea said in a statement released by the US State Department.
“Hiring, supporting, or outsourcing work to North Korean IT workers increasingly poses serious risks, ranging from theft of intellectual property, data, and funds to reputational harm and legal consequences.”
North Korea has for years mobilized IT workers, often based overseas, to launch cyberattacks on banks, businesses and state agencies in South Korea and elsewhere to steal money and classified military and industry secrets, but its skills have evolved in recent years to adopt new technologies. North Korea has ramped up its military capabilities and deepened its ties with Russia, which has rattled Western allies.
Washington and its allies are stepping up efforts to counter North Korea’s cyber threats. The US designated four entities and individuals supporting North Korean IT worker schemes, including in Russia, Laos and China. Tokyo issued new warnings with details on their tactics and how to avoid hiring them, while Seoul issued advisories to help companies protect themselves from being targeted.
The three countries also hosted an event Wednesday in Tokyo in partnership with Mandiant, a cybersecurity company, to improve public-private partnerships and shore up international collaboration to curb North Korean exploitation.
Photo: Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg
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