Amazon Blocks More Than 1,800 Phony Job Applications From North Korean Cyber Operatives

The company says fake North Korean job applications are likely occurring widely, especially for AI and machine learning roles.

Barricades are placed near the Unification Bridge, which leads to the Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone in Paju, South Korea, on June 11, 2024. Lee Jin-man/AP Photo

Amazon’s top security executive said that over the past 20 months, the company has blocked more than 1,800 North Korean nationals from obtaining remote internet technology jobs that would ultimately fund weapons programs in the country.

Stephen Schmidt, senior vice president and chief security officer (CSO) at Amazon, said in a Dec. 19 LinkedIn post that North Korean operatives in increasing numbers are using artificial intelligence (AI) and manipulating LinkedIn to apply for remote software engineering jobs.