How North Korean Hackers Are Using AI For ''Sophisticated'' LinkedIn Scams

Hacking groups in North Korea, notorious for their cybercrime sprees, are increasingly employing artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT to carry out sophisticated scams, the Financial Times reported. According to the report, hackers are targeting employees of global defense, cyber security, and crypto companies on LinkedIn and other networking platforms to reveal sensitive information or give access to computer networks or crypto wallets.

The money raised by North Korea's criminal cyber operations is helping to fund the country's ballistic missile and nuclear programmes, as per a UN panel of experts.

Microsoft, which is OpenAI's largest investor, also confirmed that hackers working on behalf of North Korea, as well as China, Russia, and Iran, were using the company's AI services ''in support of malicious cyber activities.''

LinkedIn, in particular, has emerged as the platform of choice for phishing scams, with many North Korean hackers posing as recruiters and engaging in convincing interactions to fool their victims.

''North Korean hacking groups have been seen to create credible-looking recruiter profiles on professional networking sites such as LinkedIn. Generative AI helps with chatting, sending messages, creating images and new identities — all the things you need to build that close relationship with your target,'' said Erin Plante, vice president of investigations at blockchain data platform Chainalysis. 

''The attacks are getting very sophisticated — we are not talking about a badly worded email that says 'click on this link'. These are detailed profiles on LinkedIn and other social media platforms, which they use to build relationships over weeks and months,'' Plante added. 

South Korea which has been closely monitoring North Korea's activities, previously detected North Korean hackers using generative AI to target security officials in the country. 

Shreyas Reddy, an analyst with Seoul-based information service NK Pro, said ChatGPT is helping the North Koreans to develop more sophisticated forms of malicious software, or malware, used to infiltrate their victims' computer networks. 

Notably, Pyongyang has been involved in cyber projects since the 1980s and 1990s, when the ruling Kim dynasty began to develop what was then a nascent nuclear weapons programme. Since then, the country has amped up its cyber capabilities.