Amazon's chief security officer says the tech giant blocked over 1,800 suspected North Korean agents from applying for jobs

"Amazon has stopped more than 1,800 suspected North Korean agents from applying for jobs over the last 20 months, a top executive at the firm has said. In a post on LinkedIn, Stephen Schmidt, Amazon's chief security officer, said North Korean nationals had in recent years been attempting to land remote tech roles with companies across the globe. "Their objective is typically straightforward: get hired, get paid, and funnel wages back to fund the regime's weapons programs," Schmidt wrote."

"Amazon has used a combination of AI-powered screening and human verification to detect and block such applications, Schmidt continued. The company's AI model searches for connections to around 200 "high-risk institutions" and analyzes "anomalies across applications" and "geographic inconsistencies." Human reviewers then conduct background checks, verify credentials, and carry out interviews, he added."

Amazon blocked over 1,800 suspected North Korean agents from applying for jobs over a 20-month period. AI-powered screening combined with human verification is used to detect and block suspicious applications. The AI model searches for connections to about 200 high-risk institutions and analyzes anomalies across applications and geographic inconsistencies. Human reviewers perform background checks, verify credentials, and conduct interviews. Operatives target remote tech roles, especially AI and machine-learning positions, often using stolen or purchased LinkedIn accounts and laptop farms that present a domestic presence while workers operate remotely from abroad.

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