As a part of an effort to disrupt a North Korean IT workers scheme, the U.S. government announced charges, seizures, arrests, and reward incentives.
A network of North Korean IT workers has earned millions of dollars for North Korea by infiltrating hundreds of companies. According to the Justice Department, North Korea has utilized the skills of thousands of IT workers to steal U.S. identities to get jobs at over 300 companies. This extensive operation enabled unbridled access to the inner networks of hundreds of companies, and significant monetary earnings for North Korea. Mandiant Principle Analyst Michael Barnhart stated, “By directing its IT workers to gain employment at Western companies, North Korea has weaponized its tech talent and created the ultimate insider threat”. Continuing, Barnhart added, “These operatives bypass sanctions by diverting their paychecks to help fund North Korea’s nuclear program”. On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Justice also announced the charges of a U.S. woman, Christina Marie Chapman, for her role in helping the North Korean IT workers obtain U.S. employment in some of the infiltrated companies.
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