North Korea using foreign talent to help infiltrate US companies: Report

U.S. and allied officials say North Korea has shifted to using remote workers in third countries to gain footholds inside foreign firms and help move money back to state entities. NBC reported that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has recruited IT contractors based in places such as Iran and Lebanon to pass job interviews at companies abroad; after positions are secured, they are often turned over to North Korean operatives.

According to the reporting, recruiters have scouted candidates on LinkedIn and offered part-time roles described as "interview associates," with some recruits reportedly paid around $500 per month in cryptocurrency. The arrangement is presented as a way to obtain legitimate contracts or employment relationships that can later be exploited by DPRK personnel.

A government alert issued in July by the U.S. and several foreign agencies warned that North Korean IT workers pursue contracts while sending salaries back to their home agencies. The advisory said these individuals can present insider risks and have been linked to activities including data exfiltration, cryptocurrency theft, and the theft of sensitive information.

Cybersecurity firms and reporting suggest the tactics may be effective. CrowdStrike told Cointelegraph that North Korea–linked hackers were tied to more than $2 billion in cryptocurrency losses in 2025, a 51% year-on-year increase, and the Bank of Korea estimates the country’s GDP rose about 3.5% in 2025 despite international sanctions. Analysts say those losses and the government alert underscore the evolving and increasingly sophisticated methods used to generate revenue and access target networks.