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DPRK Floppy Disks, Fax Machines & Zero Days
How North Korea Is Blending Cold War Tactics with Modern Exploits
Got Pyongyang on the payroll? Check with HR — not just IT.
The fastest-growing threat to your customer may not stem from a compromised endpoint, a breached firewall, or stolen credentials. It may come from inside the org chart. This threat logs in using a company-issued laptop, configured and provisioned for what was believed to be a legitimate employee — but in reality, is a North Korean agent or their digital stand-in.
Why are these “employees” exfiltrating data, collecting U.S. paychecks, and installing malware from within trusted networks?
Because organizations — unknowingly — are hiring them.
How Is This Happening?
DPRK saturates remote job boards across the IT hiring ecosystem.
Compromised identities + fake resumes flood the talent pool. These profiles appear highly skilled, experienced, and well-educated.
Internal recruiters engage, unaware of the deception. Many move the candidates forward to manager interviews.
Virtual interviews commence. Reports indicate the DPRK agents are proficient (though not fluent) in both English and technical topics.
Remote hire is made. A company laptop is shipped to a U.S.-based location, typically a pre-staged “laptop farm.”
Laptop farm operators then enable remote access by the DPRK agent — who now logs in with elevated access, matching their “technical role.”
The agent is now a full-time employee.
Payroll begins. Privileged access is granted. Data goes out; malware comes in.
Why This Matters to Cybersecurity Sales Professionals
Modern Insider Threats: Operatives bypass perimeter defenses by joining org charts as “employees.”
IAM Blind Spots: Deepfake interviews and stolen identities exploit gaps in access and identity management.
Supply Chain Vulnerabilities: Third-party vendors and outsourced teams are common infiltration points.
Lead with Intelligence: Sharing threats like this positions you as a trusted advisor, not just a seller.
Reignite Dormant Accounts: This story is a compelling conversation starter to unfreeze stalled deals.
Compliance & Legal Risk: Companies hiring DPRK operatives face OFAC and sanctions liabilities.
National Security Backing: FBI, NSA, and CISA alerts bring weight to your recommendations.
Solution Expansion Opportunities: Opens doors to pitch AI fraud detection, zero trust, and enhanced screening.
Storytelling Power: Real-world espionage sticks. It’s memorable — and memorable wins deals.
Framework Alignment: Maps to controls across NIST, ISO 27001, CMMC, and CIS Top 20.
Credibility. Credibility. Credibility.
These moments elevate you from vendor to valued partner.
Want to Dive Deeper? Start Here:
DOWNLOAD & ARM YOURSELF
Attached Briefings:
Prepared North Korea Briefing Template (PowerPoint)
Office of the Director of National Intelligence Reports – FY2024 & FY2025
Covers the DPRK threat, with broader context on crypto exploitation, nuclear programs, and global alignment.
Insights from Ivy, our resident sales sage…
On Managing Expectations…
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