KnowBe4 Blog
blog.knowbe4.com · Company blog · on HN since 2013
KnowBe4, a security awareness training company, writes about phishing, ransomware, social engineering, and fraud.
What HN saysHN commenters mostly cite its account of a North Korean fake IT worker who tried to infiltrate the company.
15HN people shared it
9linked it in comments
7stories submitted
12story points
1 year agolast shared
2013people per year2026
Most-shared posts
- 1How a north korean fake it worker tried to infiltrate us6 people · first shared 2024
- 2Kevin Mitnick selling 0day exploits is a good idea1 people · 3 points · first shared 2014 · discussion on HN
- 3Proof of Concept: Ransomware Strain Encrypts Cloud Email1 people · 2 points · first shared 2018 · discussion on HN
- 4KnowBe4 Got a CEO Fraud Phishing Attack. Wrong Mark1 people · 2 points · first shared 2015 · 1 comments on HN
- 5These Incredibly Realistic Fake Faces Show How AI Can Now Mess with Us1 people · 2 points · first shared 2018 · discussion on HN
- 6New Cellphone Phishing Hack Pulls Data Out Of Computer Over Air1 people · 1 points · first shared 2014 · discussion on HN
- 7CyberheistNews Vol 7 #11 [ALERT] New Ransomware Phishing Scheme Lets Wannabe1 people · 1 points · first shared 2017 · discussion on HN
- 8New Massive Wave of CryptoLocker Ransomware Infections1 people · 1 points · first shared 2017 · discussion on HN
- 9Our interview of a north korean fake employee1 people · first shared 2025
- 10Evolution of mobile ransomware1 people · first shared 2022
- 11Did china leak prism deliberately1 people · first shared 2013
What HN people wrote when they linked it
fablesecurity · 2024-10-03
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rvz · 2022-07-24
> This is nonsense. Users would be free to stick to the Apple app-store and apps. What it means is those that wish to install from alternative locations, can.
And that will be great news to scammers, hackers and criminals that have been easily plaguing their malware and trojans on infected Android for years to do the same on iOS apps to go all open season on the platform.
> Competition in the app store space is a good thing. Competition generally is a good thing. This is what it is about.
Exactly. Is that why you have chosen to not use a Linux phone? Maybe the competition outside of Android and iOS is not competing hard enough and instead resorted to shutting down and giving up and had to scream and cry at Google and Apple for being so successful.
> Scaremongering this kind of nonsense to suppose walled-garden ecosystems (that primarily benefit the gardener, not the plants) is a stretch.
Scaremongering? Why is it that over the space of 8 years Android has been plagued more by ransomware [0], malware, and attacks delivered by sideloading? [1] than iOS has? Bringing the same security ills and problems found on Android devices into iOS can only result in creating more problems than solving them.
> Congratulations to the EU indeed, for the right reasons.
Nope. Not so fast.
I don't think there is anything to celebrate here, unless you want to see a new era of easy side-loading cracked apps, to users to easily encounter ransomware on their phones and have it take…
simulator5g · 2025-09-25
You're assuming the process isn't automated. This could just be an app that gets them more green dots on their Github page. This developer might not even be a real person. https://blog.knowbe4.com/how-a-north-korean-fake-it-worker-tried-to-in…
wnevets · 2025-05-01
they just out source the in person parts
> It turns out there is a burgeoning sub-industry of college-aged males of Asian ancestry who cannot wait to get paid for participating in these schemes. There are Discord channels all around the world just for this. They make a few hundred to a few thousand dollars for allowing their identity to be misused or participating in the scheme. That way, they can interview in person or take drug tests if the job requires that.
https://blog.knowbe4.com/our-interview-of-a-north-korean-fake-employee
bigfatkitten · 2024-12-02
Preferably not too early in your career, lest your AI-generated mugshot cause you to be picked for a North Korean fake IT contractor.
https://blog.knowbe4.com/how-a-north-korean-fake-it-worker-tried-to-in…
ceejayoz · 2024-11-05
Reminds me of https://blog.knowbe4.com/how-a-north-korean-fake-it-worker-tried-to-in… - I seem to remember it coming up here at the time.
snypher · 2024-07-25
duxup · 2024-07-24
Direct post to the blog:
https://blog.knowbe4.com/how-a-north-korean-fake-it-worker-tried-to-in…
I'm a little skeptical of this orgs hiring practices in the sense that nobody met this guy, they hired him and some of the details are a little vague like:
- Background check appears inadequate. Names used were not consistent.
- References potentially not properly vetted. Do not rely on email references only.
I'm wondering, was their background check effectively outsourced and it came back good or bad and they just accepted it?
Considering how many people are sometimes involved in hiring I can imagine that some folks just run the background check and everyone sort of ignores any strange signs and assumes someone else will look closer.