Microsoft Blocks 3,000 Outlook and Hotmail Accounts With North Korean Links; Here’s Why

In a widespread crackdown against fraudsters and scammers from North Korea, global IT company Microsoft has reportedly suspended 3,000 Outlook and Hotmail accounts. These accounts were linked to North Korean IT workers who used to secure remote jobs across IT companies using fake IDs, reported Times of India.

These fake IT workers from North Korea had secured remote jobs for multinational companies across the world, especially Fortune 500 companies over recent years. As per TOI report, these fraudsters use to apply for jobs as part of scheme involving North Korean IT workers using fabricated or stolen identities.

These workers were specially trained by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) for the job and used to receive legitimate employment for the task. According to the TOI report, many employers reported that these fake workers were among the most talented employees of their workforces.

The United States' Department of Justice has seized laptops and shut down laptop farms. One of the most notable case of a fake IT worker with North Korean links is Maryland nail salon employee. The individual will be sentenced in August after it was proved that the person is working for nearly 13 companies in remote jobs. Most of these jobs were handled by North Korean IT workers located in China.

Such employment helped these workers to earn around $1 million combined. According to the report, these workers are highly skilled and managed to secure the job after clearing multiple rounds of interviews and written tests. Taking action against such fraudsters, the US government has seized multiple locations identified as laptop farms.

What Are Laptop Farms?

Laptop farms are physical locations where laptops issued by unsuspecting employers are shipped and maintained. As per the report, nearly 29 such laptop farms have been searched by the law enforcement agencies across the US. During the investigation, it was found that these laptops were installed with remote-access software or physically rerouted to China or Russia.

Extensive Use of AI Tools

It was reported that these workers are increasingly using advanced AI tools to dodge the security process and eliminate the chances of their detection. THese workers are using advanced tools to improve their deception tactics like eliminating grammatical errors, enhancing photos, and experimenting with voice-changing software.

North Korean IT Worker Conspiracy

According to United Nations' estimate, the North Korean IT worker conspiracy is generating around $600 million annually. The revenue funds Kim Jong Un's nuclear weapons program. Hence, the money earned from western IT firms is directly used for funding weapons of destruction. Hiring of such workers by companies also imposes a massive security threat.

While Microsoft hasn't yet observed the combination of AI voice and video technology in this scheme, they warn that future threat actors could use such technology for direct interviews without facilitators. This potential development underscores the evolving nature of cybersecurity threats.
The actions taken by Microsoft and the DOJ highlight the ongoing battle against cybercrime and its implications for global security. As technology advances, so do the methods used by those seeking to exploit it for illicit gain.