North Korea Is Paying People in Africa and Iran to Help Its Hackers Get Hired at US Tech Firms

TLDR

• North Korea is recruiting IT workers in countries like Nigeria, South Africa, Iran, and India to help place fake workers inside US companies
• Foreign “interview associates” are paid around $500 per month in some cases using cryptocurrency
• North Korean operatives take over jobs once contracts are secured, sending earnings back to Pyongyang
• The scheme is estimated to generate between $600 million and $800 million annually for North Korea
• North Korean cyber activity, including crypto theft, exceeded $2 billion in losses in 2025

North Korea has expanded a long-running scheme to place fake IT workers inside US and global tech companies. The operation now relies on recruits in third countries to help North Korean operatives pass job interviews and bypass identity checks.

JUST IN: North Korea is reportedly using foreign workers to help its operatives infiltrate U.S. companies through fake remote job applications. pic.twitter.com/m3D3TJQ43R

- EyeWhales (@EyeWhales) September 12, 2026

According to a September 11, 2026 NBC News report citing US officials and cybersecurity researchers, the scheme has grown to include facilitators in Nigeria, South Africa, Iran, India, and parts of Latin America.

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