Company Hacked After Accidentally Hiring North Korean Cyber Criminals as Remote IT Employees. Virtually everyone was stunned when one of the most acclaimed tech companies became a target of hacker attacks after the firm’s management hired a North Korean cyber criminal as a remote IT employee. This example reveals that protecting employees from acts of violence has become a complex issue for commercial organizations, particularly during the 2020 year, when a large number of employees work remotely.
The Incident
Hailed as a company that offers software development services, the company had recently experienced an increase in the number of its employees working remotely to gain access to the best talents around the world. Frequently and hurriedly to cover an urgent IT position, the HR team performed a regular background check; however, they failed to pay attention to peculiar signs, which would clarify the applicant’s identity. The candidate which the company met at the interview was a man in his thirties, who described himself as an extremely experienced IT engineer he was a North Korean cybercriminal with a track record.
As soon as the fraudster was onboarded to the company, he or she was able to infiltrate critical business information systems. In less than weeks, they started probing for weaknesses and introduced viruses that would later penetrate into the company’s information system. This breach meant sensitive information for the company and its clients was stolen including; company records, customer details, and information exchanges in the organization which cost the company a lot of money and tarnished its image.
Consequently, the primary significance of intensive pre-employment background checks is a fact.
This case shows that proper screening procedures should be conducted for those working remotely, especially in IT companies. Resume verification is not enough, and companies need to undertake a broad background check. This should include:
Verification of Credentials: Verification of the credibility of the candidate’s academic and work experience credentials.
Security Clearance: When recruiting for positions that involve information, one may demand security clearance or in straightforward terms background check that may reveal a criminal record.
Cross-Referencing Online Presence: Checking the candidate’s social media presence and general online behavior is a way to find contradictions in the information given or quite secretive ties.
Collaboration with Cybersecurity Experts: Using cybersecurity experts in the hiring process will assist in some measure in identifying threats and risks associated with potential employees.
The Pauperization of Cyber Criminals
It is worrying that organizations knowingly or unknowingly are hiring cyber criminals who exploit their organizations. As the work-from-home culture slowly gains more ground, businesses cannot let their guard down against the hiring of fraud employees. Hackers use complex techniques to conceal their real identity, and it becomes important for companies to learn the emerging threats in the field of security.
Moving Forward: Cyber Security: A Systematic Review To mitigate the risks associated with remote hiring, companies should implement the following best practices:
Develop a Robust Cybersecurity Policy: Send e-mails, instructions, and posters that make all employees become acquaintanced with cybersecurity.
Regular Training and Awareness Programs: Provide positive reinforcement to make sure employees know how to identify certain cyber threats and phishing attempts.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Use MFA strictly on the entry to the key systems so that unauthorized access can be avoided.
Continuous Monitoring: Leverage continuously improved monitoring technologies to capture any suspicious activities and security breach incidents in real time.
Incident Response Plan: Develop a memo to form a rapid response as a mitigation measure on all breaches or any security incidences that might happen.
Conclusion
The shocking experience of a company employing a North Korean cyber criminal is therefore a warning beacon to all organizations. With the changes in the remote work environment, so does the approach to recruiting employees and protecting businesses from cyber risks. Increased incidences of cybercrime mean that organizations should adopt higher standards for identifying anyone seeking to access their data then heighten the awareness of their employees regarding cyber threats that they could encounter.