North Korean Fake Employees: The New Threat to Western Business

Jan de Vries · 2026-10-26

Steve Durbin, head of the Information Security Forum, has a warning that should make every hiring manager pause. North Korean agents are infiltrating Western companies by posing as employees. They're not breaking in through the back door. They're walking through the front, fake resumes in hand and AI-powered deception in their toolkit. ### The Threat Is Real and Growing Durbin says these operatives use fake identities to land jobs in tech, finance, and other sensitive sectors. Once inside, they gain access to systems and data that can be used for espionage, sabotage, or financial theft. It's a slow burn. They build trust, climb the ladder, and then strike. And they're not amateurs. They use AI to create convincing personas, complete with LinkedIn profiles, work histories, and even video interviews where deepfakes stand in for real people. It's like something out of a spy novel, but it's happening now. How do you spot a fake employee? It's not easy. But Durbin suggests a few red flags: - Inconsistent work history or references that don't check out - Reluctance to meet in person or on video (or a video that feels 'off') - Requests for access to sensitive systems early in their tenure - Unusual working hours that align with a different time zone ### Why This Matters for European Startups If you're running a European startup, you might think you're too small to be a target. Think again. North Korean operatives often target smaller companies because they have fewer security resources. And with the rise of remote work, it's easier than ever for someone to join your team from anywhere. As the EU Inc proposal aims to make it easier to incorporate and hire across borders, the risk of fake employees slipping through the cracks grows. Streamlined processes are great for legitimate business, but they can also create openings for bad actors. So what can you do? Start by beefing up your background checks. Don't just rely on automated systems. Pick up the phone and call references. Ask for official documents and verify them. And train your team to recognize the signs of social engineering. ### The Bottom Line The threat of North Korean agents posing as employees is a wake-up call for Western businesses. It's not just about cybersecurity anymore; it's about human security. As Durbin puts it, 'The enemy is at the gate, and sometimes they're already inside.' Stay vigilant. Trust but verify. And remember, in the age of AI, seeing isn't always believing.