U.S. seizes websites used by North Korean IT workers, issues updated warning
by Thomas Maresca
Washington DC (UPI) Oct 19, 2023
The United States has seized 17 website domains used by North Korean information technology workers in order to disguise their identities, evade sanctions and fund the regime's illicit weapons programs, the Justice Department announced.
"The seizures announced today protect U.S. companies from being infiltrated with North Korean computer code and help ensure that American businesses are not used to finance that regime's weapons program," Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen of the department's National Security Division said in a press release issued Wednesday.
According to court documents filed in the Eastern District of Missouri, North Korea has dispatched thousands of IT workers to live abroad, mainly in Russia and China, in an effort to deceive businesses around the world into hiring them as freelancers.
The seized websites appeared to be the domains of legitimate, U.S.-based IT services companies. The North Korean workers behind the sites actually work for China-based Yanbian Silverstar Network Technology Co. and Russia-based Volasys Silver Star, however, and had been previously sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2018.
The United States and South Korea issued a new round of sanctions on entities related to North Korean IT workers in May.
The fraudulent scheme generated millions of dollars a year for Pyongyang's banned weapons of mass destruction programs, the department said. Some of the North Korean IT workers also allegedly broke into their employers' computer networks to steal information and maintain access for future hacking.
"Employers need to be cautious about who they are hiring and who they are allowing to access their IT systems," U.S. Attorney Sayler Fleming of the Eastern District of Missouri said. "You may be helping to fund North Korea's weapons program or allowing hackers to steal your data or extort you down the line."
The domain seizures follow the previously sealed court-authorized October 2022 and January seizure of approximately $1.5 million in revenue collected by the same group of IT workers, the Justice Department said.
The United States and South Korea also released updated guidance Wednesday meant to help companies avoid inadvertently hiring North Korean IT workers.
The advisory includes red flags such as an unwillingness to appear on camera or conduct video interviews, aggressive demands for prepayment and language preferences set to Korean despite claiming to be from a non-Korean speaking country or region.
"The hiring or supporting of DPRK IT workers continues to pose many risks, ranging from theft of intellectual property, data and funds, to reputational harm and legal consequences," the Federal Bureau of Investigation said in a statement, using the official initialism for North Korea.
North Korea has continued to develop its weapons program despite longstanding U.N. Security Council sanctions banning any ballistic or nuclear activity.
The isolated regime has increasingly turned to cybercrime to raise funds, with North Korean hackers stealing more than $1.2 billion in cryptocurrency since 2017, according to the South Korean government.
Artificial Intelligence Analysis
to employers.
Summary:
The United States seized 17 website domains used by North Korean information technology workers in order to disguise their identities, evade sanctions, and fund the regimes illicit weapons programs. The Justice Department warned employers to be cautious about who they hire and allow access to their IT systems.
Economic Implications:
The domains seized were used to generate millions of dollars for North Koreas banned weapons programs each year, reducing the amount of funds available for the regime, and thus reducing their economic power and influence.Environmental Implications:
The economic implications of this seizure could lead to reduced funding for North Koreas weapons programs, and thus a reduced environmental impact of their weapons.Safety Implications:
The seizure of these domains could reduce the threat posed by North Koreas weapons programs to the safety of people in the region, as well as on a global level.Geopolitical Implications:
This could lead to a reduction in tensions between the United States and North Korea, as well as between South Korea and North Korea. It could also lead to increased cooperation between the United States, South Korea, and other countries in the region.Societal Implications:
The seizure of these domains and the warning issued to employers could lead to greater awareness of the risks associated with hiring North Korean IT workers, and thus a decrease in the number of people doing so, reducing the funds available to the North Korean regime.Cultural and Political Context:
The cultural and political context of this issue is that the United States and other countries in the region have long been at odds with North Korea, and have sought to limit its power and influence in the region. This seizure and warning is an example of this effort to prevent the North Korean regime from using its resources to finance its weapons programs.
Conclusion:
The United States has seized 17 website domains used by North Korean IT workers to disguise their identities, evade sanctions, and fund the regimes illicit weapons programs. This seizure could lead to a reduction in the funds available to the North Korean regime, reducing their economic power and influence, as well as the environmental and safety implications of their weapons programs. It could also lead to a reduction in tensions between the United States and North Korea, as well as between South Korea and North Korea, and increased awareness of the risks associated with hiring North Korean IT workers, and thus a decrease in the number of people doing so.
Investigative Questions:
-What other measures are being taken by the United States and other countries to limit the North Korean regimes power and influence?-What other impacts could this seizure have on North Koreas economy, environment, and safety?-What other measures could be taken to further discourage employers from hiring North Korean IT workers?
Comparison to Star Trek:
This issue is similar to the episode of Star Trek:
The Next Generation in which the Enterprise discovers a planet where the inhabitants are being exploited by an oppressive regime, and the crew must work together to find a way to liberate the people and restore freedom. Similarly, this situation involves a foreign regime exploiting its citizens, and the United States is working to take measures to limit the regimes power and influence, and restore freedom and safety to those who are suffering.
This AI report is generated by a sophisticated prompt to a ChatGPT API. Our editors clean text for presentation, but preserve AI thought for our collective observation. Please comment and ask questions about AI use by Spacedaily. We appreciate your support and contribution to better trade news.
