- North Korea’s IT plan gets secret assistance From Chinese companies, he found a new report. The first companies in cities such as Beijing and Chinyang offer fake commercial affiliations so that IT workers in legitimate technology companies and joint projects can make them more difficult to discover them as a threat to corporate security.
A new investigation revealed that a wide -ranging consortium from Chinese companies – Broder of what was previously believed – could support a vast global scheme in which North Korea’s technology workers finance the regime’s nuclear weapons program through functions of Fortune 500 business.
According to Tuesday a report Published by Stroter Intelligence Company, a punishment The Chinese company that you identified US Treasury This year for charging computers, graphics cards and HDMI cables to the North Korean weapons group, they are connected through personal and organizational relationships to 35 other companies. The Strider report urges more investigation into companies related to three companies that have the threat of national security and the profitable success of the North Korea IT plan.
To the group level: The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has deployed thousands of information technology developers and programs trained all over the world as a way to circumvent the United States and United Nations sanctions illegally. North Korea information technology workers, using stolen or rented identities, then put as Americans or Europeans to obtain jobs on us, and,, IncreasinglyEuropean companies.
According to Federal Bureau of Investigationand Cabinetand Ministry of JusticeThe plan has infiltrated hundreds of companies, from large investment banks, to entertainment and the media, to financial services companies. Frequent technology companies Goals. One founder of primary encryption He said luck He resorted to the request of each applicant to make a single comment on the authoritarian ruler DPRK Kim Jong Un before considering an interview. Information technology factor even infiltration The US electoral campaign site.
The IT plan generates between $ 250 million to $ 600 million a year, according to United Nations. The intelligence workers participate with more advanced actors of the continuous threat in North Korea (APT) who work under the Public Office of Reception in the Korean People’s Army. Between 2017 and 2023, the United Nations estimates at least DPRK attacks 3 billion dollars in Encryption. North Korea uses funds to increase the expansion of its illegal weapons program for comprehensive destruction.
However, the scheme does not work in isolation.
The Starider report confirms that Chinese companies are working as essential mediators in the North Korean IT conspiracy. It provides technical infrastructure, coverage of the scheme, and serve as financial channels for money laundering. Strader was close to China to North Korea, the vast digital infrastructure, and the loose organizational environment in Gouzi, making it an attractive place for North Korea to send IT workers. It operates outside urban areas such as Beijing, Dalian and Chinyang through front companies, joint projects or Chinese companies.
“Almost every Fortune 500 has struggled with how to protect the workforce from the threat of infiltration by actors who pretend as information technology workers” luck In a statement. “Our research in Strider reveals how the front companies in the People’s Republic of China are enabled this DPRK Coordinated campaign.”
In a statement, the spokesperson for the Chinese embassy Leo Benjio said luck He was not aware of the details contained in the Striez report.
“We oppose false allegations and aspirations that have no real ground at all,” said Bingio.
North Korea sanctions
In January, the Treasury Office to control foreign assets (OFAC) punishment Liaoning China Trade Industry Co. To provide the DPRK government with laptops, cables, graphics cards and other equipment participating in the implementation of the IT operative.
OFAC found that Liaoning China Trade (LCT) has shipped technical equipment to Section 53 From the Ministry of Popular Armed Forces, it is an entity of the arms dealer in DPRK within the framework of the Ministry of National Defense of the regime. The OFAC procedures included two front companies, Korea Osung, Korea Osung shipping Co. The Chonsurium Trading Corporation, to host the delegations of information technology workers at DPRK at locations in Laos. Two people, one in Laos running information technology workers, Jong in Chol, and his son Kyung Ceick in Chinyang, China, have also been punished. SON was recognized as the main actor in China at Osong Front Department 53.
However, Strider’s investigation concluded that there may be more pits that the American authorities need based on their results. LCT is associated with 35 other companies that can participate in the plan and overlap in the supply chains of companies as sellers or third -party service providers. All 35 headquarters in the People’s Republic of China, all of which are commercial companies similar to LCT, where they buy, manufacture and ship goods around the world.
One is identified in the report, Dandong Deyun Trading Co. , Registered in China as a wholesale and retail merchant for textiles and electronics. Another, is Guangzhou Aiyixi Trading Co. , Registered as a wholesaler of cosmetics, daily necessities, commercial introductions, and bathroom mirror cabinets. Third, Yongping Zhuoren Mining Co. She is a wholesale for minerals and building products.
The Strider report has not conclusively concluded that the 35 LCT companies also provide support for the DPRK IT plan, but it indicates that everyone can deserve more investigations given the risks that companies can unintentionally employ North Korea workers.
“The Treasury has begun to announce sanctions on individuals and entities that participate in these efforts, but the experimental examination of the infrastructure on which the DPRK workers plan is based is crucial to lift it as a threat of urgent companies.”
The Chinese embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This story was originally shown on Fortune.com
