North Korean Coders Build Careers in Architectural Fraud: A Comedy of Errors
North Korean IT workers are moonlighting as freelance architects, earning millions for the regime while masquerading as licensed professionals. These “architects” are drawing up plans for U.S. properties under fake identities. Who knew designing a custom tree house could be a matter of international intrigue?
Hot Take:
Well, it seems like North Korea has decided to expand its resume beyond hacking into your emails and meddling in your cryptocurrency. Now they’re designing your dream house, complete with a swimming pool and treehouse! Forget about the nuclear threat, it’s the potential of a poorly constructed deck that should really keep you up at night. I guess it’s true what they say—if you can’t beat ’em, hire ’em (unknowingly) to design your next architectural masterpiece!
Key Points:
– **North Korean IT workers are diversifying into architecture and civil engineering, using fake identities to secure contracts.**
– **They have been creating architectural plans and using fake stamps to certify compliance with local building regulations.**
– **The workers have been linked to potentially unsafe structural work, raising concerns about the safety and quality of their projects.**
– **Files associated with these workers show a treasure trove of fraudulent personas, CVs, and architectural works.**
– **Efforts to combat these schemes are ongoing, with reports made to the FBI and other law enforcement agencies.**