STATE ACTORS: SKILLS GAP – NK Hackers exploiting Cyber Skills Shortage to blag jobs

Precautions for Small Business Owners:
To protect against such threats, Small Business owners should adopt several key practices when hiring Remote or IT personnel:

Thorough Background Checks:
Verify the applicant’s credentials, including past employment, references, and educational background. Be wary of inconsistencies, such as novice language skills despite claims of extensive experience.

Video Interviews:
Always conduct video interviews to ensure the applicant matches their profile photo. Pay attention to irregularities, such as attempts to avoid using the camera or strange behaviours during the call.

Monitor Financial Requests:
Be cautious of employees who frequently request changes to payment details, such as bank accounts, or who want payments routed through digital wallets.

Restrict Access:
Limit new hires’ access to sensitive systems until their reliability is established. This can mitigate the damage in case the hire turns out to be fraudulent.

Use Monitoring Tools:
Implement monitoring software to detect unusual network activity, such as accessing data outside normal business hours or from foreign IP addresses.

By employing these steps, Small Businesses can reduce the risk of hiring malicious actors and protect their digital assets from State-sponsored threats.