Global tech giant Amazon has taken a strong step by barring nationals of North Korea from working at the company. The decision comes amid concerns that people from the country are trying to get remote IT jobs in global tech firms, especially in the United States, to earn money through foreign companies.
According to media reports, North Korean job applications have sharply increased over the past year. A report by AFP said Amazon’s Chief Security Officer Stephen Schmidt shared the information on LinkedIn, highlighting the growing risk linked to remote hiring.
Schmidt said applications connected to North Korea have gone up by nearly one-third, suggesting that many people are targeting IT roles in American companies by applying for work-from-home positions.
Hackers using fake IDs and ‘Laptop Farms’: Amazon
Amazon has also warned that North Korean hackers are entering US companies by pretending to be remote IT workers. The company said this problem is not limited to Amazon and could be affecting several industries, particularly the tech sector.
According to the report, these individuals often use fake or stolen identities to hide their real location. In some cases, they operate through ‘laptop farms’, computers based in the US but controlled remotely from outside the country. This helps them avoid detection and appear as legitimate US-based employees.
Amazon identified several red flags during the hiring process, such as incorrect phone number formats and suspicious academic records. After identifying these issues, the company said it has blocked more than 1800 job applications linked to North Korea.
Stephen Schmidt urged other companies to stay alert and report suspicious hiring activity to authorities. The move reflects growing concerns over cybersecurity risks tied to remote work and shows how companies are tightening checks to protect their systems and data.
