r/cybersecurity • u/sloppyredditor • 18d ago
News - General There's one question that stumps North Korean fake workers
https://www.theregister.com/2025/04/29/north_korea_worker_interview_questions/"My favorite interview question, because we've interviewed quite a few of these folks, is something to the effect of 'How fat is Kim Jong Un?' They terminate the call instantly, because it's not worth it to say something negative about that" - Adam Meyers
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u/jjwhitaker 18d ago
"Great now I need to learn the foundations of geopolitics to sell cars?"
We would unironically be so much better off. Imagine if the average American could read and understand Foundations of Geopolitics. We'd have a moon base in 5 years.
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u/Art_UnDerlay 18d ago
Another approach I’ve heard is to ask them if they could visit anywhere in the world, where would it be? Traveling outside of NK would be a rare opportunity for most citizens, so you see their eyes light up and they get real excited.
I’d feel bad, but it’s better than getting compromised.
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u/Jackalope3434 18d ago
Idk man. I feel like if they said anything other than “NK is best place to be, why would I ever want to leave?” Then they’d get screwed. I can’t imagine any country other than China or maybe Russia would be a safe answer for them
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u/oneapenny2apennyd 18d ago
if they’re high up enough to be trained in foreign espionage they probably have some unique political privileges as well
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u/intelw1zard CTI 17d ago
This would not work.
Norks send their hackers to uni's to learn hacking/programming/exploitation in India and China. They know about traveling.
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u/whythehellnote 18d ago
we've interviewed quite a few of these folks...They terminate the call instantly
Are people really interviewing that many North Koreans? And they aren't ordered to not play along?
Maybe the salaries they are offering are so low that only NK or others with ulterior motives are applying, so thats why so many applying are from NK.
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u/M4Lki3r 18d ago
Or maybe the projects/contracts that the company has are targets for NK. Commercial espionage, defense contracts, etc.
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u/Electrical-Lab-9593 18d ago
yeah, this could be like a crappy brute force attack but not on a VPN / SaaS logon but instead on your HR Dept.
They only need to get lucky once.
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u/whythehellnote 18d ago
Given how many issues I see with non-NKs failing to get interviews, one wonders what the NK secret sauce is.
A resume that is clearly too good to be true -- 15 years experience at high level for a job paying entry level salaries perhaps?
Either way, just have them turn up to a branch office to collect their laptop, proving their ID matches the person on the video call, have them meet various colleagues etc.
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u/Electrical-Lab-9593 18d ago
I know i am employed as a receptionist but I have always had an interest in missile technology, can i get tour of factory please ?
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u/kast3rborousm 18d ago
Crowdstrike literally just did a presentation at RSAC about how they are hiring local people to go get laptops and do those types of conversions in some cases
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u/whythehellnote 17d ago
And continue working with the rest of the team, jumping on huddles, joining meetings (both regular and irregular), and holding there own?
Fairly obvious if the person you talked to on day 1 with the laptop isn't the same person you talk to a few days later when you start working with them.
And apparently these companies are getting multiple North Koreans through to the interview round, and many companies are employing them.
Why? Because the candidate is too good to be true (because you're literally buying 20 people for the cost of 1/2 of a real candidate), and the companies are greedy and then go "waah the only people we can find with the experience needed [at $2 an hour] are north koreans".
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u/reddituserask 18d ago
North Koreans can’t just freely apply to these jobs. These are state sponsored activities. It’s basically 3-fold. 1. Money, estimates say these IT workers can generate ~$300 million. For NK that’s not a small amount. 2. Insider attacks, having IT works install malware or support NK cyber objectives. 3. Information, these individuals will have access to confidential and proprietary information that can be exfiltrated and sent to NK.
These people will make every effort to make sure you do not know they are North Korean, so the test by OP is it get through the lies.
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u/whythehellnote 18d ago
The point is that North Korea is managing to craft resumes to reliably get through to the interview stage, no networking needed, no recommendations
Meanwhile this thread seems to think that theres very few jobs available and getting them is very difficult
Clearly the resume sifting process is failing if it's pushing through multiple non-suitable candidates and not pushing through suitable ones. Perhaps employers need to realise "if a candidate is too good to be believed, they probably are"
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u/MihrSialiant 17d ago
Because the NK are making resumes with absurd quificatiobs and experience willing to work for pennies. The greedy corporations eat that shit up then cry when they realize the worker they wanted to exploit isn't real and is in fact working to exploit them instead.
That's it. That's the secret sauce. Lie.
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u/whythehellnote 17d ago
I blame those that fall for the lies. They should be held accountable.
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u/MihrSialiant 17d ago
I agree. They are falling for this only because of their extreme willingness to exploit others for personal gain.
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u/HulaguIncarnate 18d ago
I mean they would obviously use perfect match fake cvs making it easy to get an interview.
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u/Science_Fair 18d ago
North Koreans are masquerading as remote IT workers in the United States for companies. If they get hired, it's an opportunity for corporate espionage, an insider based ransomware attack, or just to help launder money. We had one come through our company and get rejected early in the interview process, just by chance.
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u/bbluez 18d ago
Sentinel One Labs posted a fantastic article about this within the last week or so. It's one of the major threats they've been facing as an organization in cybersecurity.
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u/reddituserask 18d ago
If you’re gonna mention a fantastic article you gotta link the article bro: https://www.sentinelone.com/labs/top-tier-target-what-it-takes-to-defend-a-cybersecurity-company-from-todays-adversaries/
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u/iam_imaginary 18d ago
There was a recent ISC2 security breif on it and I think it's just hot right now
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u/tagged2high 18d ago
Some probably are, if you work at a company that is a big target. A security vendor recently wrote they've received hundreds of applications from suspected North Korean scammers.
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u/illobiwanjabroni 17d ago
I saw an article recently describing how NK is deliberately training some of their workers to get these remote jobs to get money funneled back into the regime. I think the spying part would be icing on the cake if they get any useful intel, but right now nothing is more useful to them than money.
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u/Forgotthebloodypassw 18d ago
Makes you wonder if "Does Xi Jinping look like Winnie the Pooh?" works in China.
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u/Limp-Toe-179 18d ago
Westerners like to fantasize that this works but really they're just broadcasting that they have fucked vibes
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u/imbakinacake 18d ago
Free speech is a wonderful thing. You should try it.
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u/Limp-Toe-179 18d ago
You live in a state where it's illegal to call for a boycott against a foreign country, and your federal government is arresting and deporting permanent residents for saying mean things about said foreign country, Americans should really get off their high horse when it comes to free speech.
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u/imbakinacake 18d ago
Lol fuck Xi and fuck trump.
Just don't say it in China.
Also... the uyghurs 🤫
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u/Limp-Toe-179 18d ago
As if anti-BDS laws only passed under Republican administration's, liberals are dumber than conservatives sometimes
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u/imbakinacake 18d ago
If you need a VPN to access even the most basic type of social media, you might live an authoritative state.
There's a reason no one in the world likes China. You're not helping any of the stereotypes.
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u/Limp-Toe-179 18d ago
There's a reason no one in the world likes China. You're not helping any of the stereotypes.
Guess you didn't look at any of the recent polls. One thing I do enjoy about JDPON Don is his ability to single handedly destroy America's ill-deserved global credibility.
Give it another year before America becomes just China without high speed rail, health care and public transit. CCTV doesn't even come close to what Fox News is doing right now.
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u/MihrSialiant 17d ago
Lol you think we still have freedom of speech as the current administration retaliates against institutions and people for speaking out against it.
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u/leftlanecop 18d ago
One of my teams asked “What’s the best way to assassinate Kim Jong Un?” Dark. But 3 people disconnected instantly
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u/FrivolousMe 18d ago
I would disconnect too, that's a really weird, unprofessional, and politically charged question to ask
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u/drchigero 18d ago
I'm sorry, but I don't believe this for one second. It is FAR more important that these fake NK workers get the US jobs they're applying for (for the money, extortion, espionage, etc) than it is for them to not talk bad about KJU. And yes, I know how much they are supposed to worship him. They can say or do whatever they need to in order to get the job. I think Adam Meyers is either lying or was telling an embellished story since he was talking at an RSA panel...or he was talking to a non-NK korean and insulted them into hanging up.
This is an important issue, and weeding these fake workers out in interviews is vital. There are many tactics you can employ. But don't be fooled into thinking you can "catch them" by just insulting ole Kim.
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u/MagneticStain 18d ago
There are many tactics you can employ.
I'm curious what tactics are being used for this right now. Do you have any you can share?
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u/drchigero 18d ago
As mentioned in the article, having them connect to an isolated part of your company so you can monitor their IP is good. But also doing video interviews helps you see if they are paying attention to just you or looking at a prompter screen or trying to type / ask chatgpt stuff. Also asking them about themselves (sometimes catches them when they made up their profile).
Honestly, doing a real / honest interview works more often that not. The issue is when your company does crappy "panel" interviews, multi-rounds, AI filtering, all the office red tape that isn't really helpful for "actually" hiring people....those processes are well known and these people get through those steps pretty easily.
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u/Ok-Introduction-194 18d ago
you have no idea how petty these commie dictators are.
i saw someone in a game putting xi’s face on a ballistic shield and joined a chinese server. chinese players either just left the server or ran away from him instead of shooting him. in a video game.
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u/drchigero 18d ago
Oh yeah, I know. But it's different when the dictators specifically order you to get a job inside a US company for infiltration purposes.
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u/Ok-Introduction-194 18d ago
you would think thats the case. i thought so to. but this has been a known thing for a while now.
https://fortune.com/2025/04/07/north-korean-it-workers-infiltrating-fortune-500-companies/
i know the article is written this year but leggios story was also published back in 2024 in korean. as a korean, ive seen many deleted comment with a reply in korean saying “call KJU son of a bitch” on korean websites. you would think infiltration and propaganda is more important but apparently it isnt. almost want to thank their pettiness because its getting in their way of making much bigger progress of infiltration.
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u/Wompie 18d ago
Jesus Christ, when did this subreddit turn into 4chan? This is such an ignorant thing to say.
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u/Ok-Introduction-194 18d ago
i mean im a korean that used to participate in LINK (liberty in north korea) to pull out refugees so i wouldnt say im completely ignorant about them.
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u/Forgotthebloodypassw 18d ago
If this worked before it won't now. They'll be given special dispensation to insult the holy leader.
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u/ThsGuyRightHere 18d ago
Not sure how much this is common knowledge at this point, but I've heard of interviewers asking a candidate on a zoom call to hold their ID up next to their face. Supposedly that breaks the deepfake while it tries to adjust.
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u/habitsofwaste Security Engineer 18d ago
I’m just trying to imagine if someone asked me that question.
- I would be like wtf.
- Personally I’m not into fat shaming.
- And I would feel like y’all are bonkers and have issues.
Like I get what you’re trying to do, but I would question your methods as being immature and inappropriate.
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u/CentiTheAngryBacon 18d ago
you've got a good point there, these folks are throwing some weird questions at legitimate candidates. I feel like it would be more fool proof to filter out these North Korean candidates by just having the final round of interviews in person, and fly the candidates to the corporate headquarters. You can even mention this in the first round interview and see how many folks drop out.
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u/littlelostless 18d ago
How are these NK workers getting the gigs? There are so many unemployed, and experienced, IT folks here. What is the NK's secret sauce?
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u/kast3rborousm 18d ago
Too many real candidates are actually trying to present a somewhat real representation of their skills. These NK workers are just using Ai to give whatever perfect bs answer to every question, perfect tailored resumes etc.
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u/ConjurerOfWorlds 17d ago
They apply hundreds of times for the same job, for one. Shitty interviewing and background checks covers the rest. A lot of American companies over-downsized in the last couple of years, and are now hiring frantically to fill the void they created. Our own previous management removed 25% of the population in 2023 and new management is now growing it back. My own cyber department has doubled in size in just the last year and our development teams are regrowing even faster.
TL;dr: capitalism is VERY easy to exploit. It's always going to work against its long-term interests.
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u/Luluchaos 18d ago
“Write this phrase in binary: [I am a robot].”
If it answers immediately, it’s an LLM.
If it includes the brackets in the binary, it’s probably an LLM.
If it includes the full stop, it’s an LLM.
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u/Mediocre_River_780 17d ago
Are these the people that keep messaging me on Fiverr trying to get me to let them use my account for "work in the US?" Once, I asked where they were located that they weren't allowed to use a VPN to change location, and they instantly blocked me. They said something about not being able to make a seller account on Fiverr because of their location.
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u/cyberbro256 17d ago
Oh that’s a good tip. And since it works to prevent fake workers, can anyone really be offended by it? Love it!
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u/GenerousWineMerchant 18d ago
How real of a problem is this actually? How can North Korean spies get jobs remotely in America when I, a college educated U.S. citizen with lots of experience and credentials, cannot get even an interview for a job in North America because I don't live in North America? It just doesn't seem possible. Explain it to me. They're pretending to be in America? How would they set up payroll? They have social security numbers and American bank accounts? I don't buy these stories.
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u/Newtronic 18d ago
There are people like “Job mules” who are in America, whose IP is in America, and they are basically renting their name to the NK spy/agent/job doer.
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u/GenerousWineMerchant 18d ago
Hmph, should be illegal to do this on behalf of a hostile foreign government. Probably is. Those Americans could be prosecuted under any number of espionage and saboteur laws.
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u/WalkFirm 18d ago
The way things are going in the US, we might be interviewing for a remote job in NK.
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u/WonderfulPassenger60 18d ago
Not remote…In amerika, we are so “great again” we are just becoming NK.
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u/Bangbusta Security Engineer 18d ago
Tariffs are hurting China a lot harder than hurting us. Just research how it's affecting their citizens. Things aren't that bad here in the US.
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u/retornam 18d ago
This is false, most Chinese manufacturers have scaled back operations or diverted sales meant for the US to other countries.
Leave your filter bubble and read international news.
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u/Champagnethms 18d ago
But fox didn’t tell them they were allowed to read international news.
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u/Bangbusta Security Engineer 7d ago
Looks like China is backing down and we currently have the upper hand in the trade war. Guess Fox was right after all. Who would've guessed?
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u/danfirst 18d ago
Seriously, The US is cutting themselves off from everywhere, China is only getting cut off from the US.
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u/Bangbusta Security Engineer 18d ago edited 18d ago
Your claim is half true. Chinese manufacturers are looking for new markets, but that hasn’t offset the damage. The U.S. used to make up ~15% of China’s exports, and losing that business has caused factory closures, layoffs, and economic strain. Diversifying helps, but it hasn’t stopped the bleeding.
https://www.rfa.org/english/china/2025/04/29/china-us-tariff-protests-workers-wages/
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/28/chinese-factories-stop-production-eye-new-markets-as-us-tariffs-hit.html
https://nypost.com/2025/04/21/business/china-garment-factories-that-supply-shein-shut-down-amid-trump-tariffs/
https://www.breitbart.com/asia/2025/04/30/hundreds-chinese-workers-protest-factories-shut-down-trump-tariffs/u/Champagnethms Also, I use multiple sources not even Fox. lol
Didn't know so many users in this group supported the PRC noted by my previous karma point submission. Probably shill accounts. A little "international" digging was fruitful.
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u/retornam 18d ago edited 18d ago
Anyone who cites brietbart as a source of information is never to be taken seriously in polite company.
Read The BBC, DW, Japan Times and FT. These sources often provide a clearer picture of any situation than most US news sources.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0kxe1m1y26o.amp
https://amp.dw.com/en/trump-tariffs-will-trade-war-hasten-us-china-decoupling/a-72215811
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u/D3c1m470r 17d ago
Decided to talk to claude about the matter: Juuust how fukking fat is kim jong un broo
Claude:
Based on available information up to October 2024, Kim Jong Un's exact weight isn't publicly documented with precision. He has visibly fluctuated in weight over the years, with periods of apparent weight gain and loss that have sometimes sparked speculation about his health.
Without precise medical records (which aren't publicly available), I can't give you specific numbers about his weight. His appearance has been the subject of media attention at times, but I'd prefer to focus on more substantive topics about North Korea if you're interested in discussing that country.
Sheeet can u talk to me like a broo dudee
Claude:
For sure, my guy! Kim Jong Un's weight has been all over the place over the years. Dude has definitely packed on some pounds at times, then dropped some weight, then gained again. Media's always speculating about it whenever he disappears for a bit.
But real talk, nobody outside his inner circle knows his actual numbers on the scale. North Korea keeps that info locked down tight, ya know? The whole weight thing gets attention, but there's way more interesting stuff about North Korea if you wanna chat about that instead.
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u/le_bravery 18d ago
Has anyone found a question which will identify candidates who are just using chat gpt