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How not to hire a North Korean plant posing as a techie

theregister.com

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Re: How not to hire a North Korean plant posing as a techie

#111

Post by xeromal »

Run_DOS_Run wrote: post #66

>Evading in-person meetings or requests for drug tests. I am surprised about the request for drug tests. Is this common in the US? Except for high-security jobs, which are never possible remotely anyway, I have never heard of a client or employer asking for a drug test. If I got a request for a drug test, I would quit immediately. Even if I am sure it is negative, my private life is my business. Any attempt to contro…

The only time I was drug testing was when I was hired to work at a gas transmission pipeline company and I felt that was a totally reasonable request.

Re: How not to hire a North Korean plant posing as a techie

#112

Post by Der_Einzige »

creer wrote: post #104
Der_Einzige wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No drug tests at Intel for SWE blue badges circa 2015-2017.

Intel used to come up regularly in discussions as requiring drug tests of all engineer new hires - and people either not bothering to apply based on that or trying to never show up for the test. Good to hear hints that this changed.

fwiw: That was in Oregon where pot was legal. I wouldn't be surprised if it's somewhat more strict in say, Arizona. Also, I knew that fab folks, both blue and green badge (people wearing bunny suits) were drug tested.

Re: How not to hire a North Korean plant posing as a techie

#113

Post by KETHERCORTEX »

incahoots wrote: post #83
throw747488 wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

NK I knew had regular flights into EU, but that was 10 years ago. Today there is most likely trade with China (I am not familiar with that). I would go through Russia, there is direct border and regular trade. NK building companies operate in captured parts of Ukraine for example. Or just use bitcoin. NKs do have access to internet, it is good store of value (better than diamonds) and highly liquid asset!

>NK building companies operate in captured parts of Ukraine for example Can you provide a source for this? Google results provide only articles that suggest the claim, no real confirmations.

[2022-08-09]: Head of so-called Donetsk People's Republic (and former Ponzi scheme CEO) Denis Pushilin declared on live tv (Соловьёв Live) that he expects the arrival of the first brigades of North Korean workers soon. He also said that DPR and North Korea have talks about collaboration when it comes to building [1].

It is probably the most direct admission you can get right now. Why? Because there are UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea prohibiting the procurement of services from North Korean companies, including building services. Also, just a week ago, Russian denied violating the sanctions related to North Korea, stating something along the lines of "Russia being a responsible member of international society" [2].

As far as I know from my personal experience, when Russia makes claims denying involvement in something, it is usually involved in that thing.

There are also statements about North Korean workers being sent to Ukraine on South Korean website about North Korea [3]. Just "we have information about that", but it looks plausible and completes the picture.

[1] https://tass.ru/mezhdunarodnaya-panorama/15427835

[2] https://ria.ru/20231015/kndr-1902858034.html

[3] https://www.dailynk.com/english/north-korea-orders-trading-c...

Re: How not to hire a North Korean plant posing as a techie

#114

Post by orangepurple »

tejohnso wrote: post #108
seanmcdirmid wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Intel had me do a drug test just for an internship that I was almost going to take in 1996 or 97. I'm not sure if they still do that, I haven't had a drug test since getting my Chinese work visa (which required a drug and Aids test).

AIDS (HIV?) test? Were they going to discriminate against people with HIV? I don't get it. What about other STDs?

From the US Government USCIS Form I-693 Instructions:

The civil surgeon is required to perform specific tests for tuberculosis, syphilis, and gonorrhea. The medical examination also requires the civil surgeon to evaluate for other sexually transmitted diseases and Hansen’s disease (leprosy).

Furthermore it suggests that physical and mental disorders may be grounds for disqualification. Finally, drug addiction and substance abuse generally must be disclosed.

https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/i-6...

Re: How not to hire a North Korean plant posing as a techie

#115

Post by mcmoor »

vkou wrote: post #77
RIMR wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It sounds to me like the US released a report about NK espionage operations, and then people "thought" (as the article phrases it) that NK operatives were everywhere, and now we have this article that just seems to tie the most obnoxious freelancer behavior to NK espionage, without any actual evidence.

We're just repeating an old page from an old playbook. > Back in 1937 Comrade Stalin pointed out that as long as the Soviet Union existed amid capitalist encirclement we would have wreckers, spies, saboteurs and murderers sent to our home front by foreign states. [1] Just change the names and the years and the professions around, and we'll be good to go. The actual existence, non-existence, or prevalence of spies, sa…

I find the best part about reading McCarthyism history is that THERE ARE communist traitors in USA, sometimes in very high places https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Dexter_White#Venona_pr... . I guess if your spy network is sophisticated enough to make your enemy have to blunder either for false negative (your spy doesn't get caught) or false positive (your enemy self sabotage, killing their own kins), you win.

Re: How not to hire a North Korean plant posing as a techie

#116

Post by hugh-avherald »

Run_DOS_Run wrote: post #66

>Evading in-person meetings or requests for drug tests. I am surprised about the request for drug tests. Is this common in the US? Except for high-security jobs, which are never possible remotely anyway, I have never heard of a client or employer asking for a drug test. If I got a request for a drug test, I would quit immediately. Even if I am sure it is negative, my private life is my business. Any attempt to contro…

As part of the vetting procedure, my government job (not dealing with highly classified material) asked my former employers if they knew any of my sexual fetishes.

Re: How not to hire a North Korean plant posing as a techie

#117

Post by tellarin »

seanmcdirmid wrote: post #67
Run_DOS_Run wrote: post #66

>Evading in-person meetings or requests for drug tests. I am surprised about the request for drug tests. Is this common in the US? Except for high-security jobs, which are never possible remotely anyway, I have never heard of a client or employer asking for a drug test. If I got a request for a drug test, I would quit immediately. Even if I am sure it is negative, my private life is my business. Any attempt to contro…

Intel had me do a drug test just for an internship that I was almost going to take in 1996 or 97. I'm not sure if they still do that, I haven't had a drug test since getting my Chinese work visa (which required a drug and Aids test).

Weird. I was not asked for any drug test for my Chinese work visa (only the Aids one).

Re: How not to hire a North Korean plant posing as a techie

#118

Post by naruhodo »

> logging in from multiple IP addresses,

[x] Phone, laptop.

> working odd hours,

[x] Delayed sleep phase insomnia.

> Repeated requests for prepayment followed by “anger or aggression when the request is denied”;

[x] Previously ripped off by shitty employers.

> Evading in-person meetings or requests for drug tests;

[x] Social anxiety, medical cannabis user who is aware that even though legal (in AU) it is stigmatised.

> Having multiple online profiles for the same identity with different pictures, or online profiles with no picture.

[x] Average privacy enthusiast.

I await further instructions from Glorious Leader.

Re: How not to hire a North Korean plant posing as a techie

#119

Post by kube-system »

naruhodo wrote: post #118

> logging in from multiple IP addresses, [x] Phone, laptop. > working odd hours, [x] Delayed sleep phase insomnia. > Repeated requests for prepayment followed by “anger or aggression when the request is denied”; [x] Previously ripped off by shitty employers. > Evading in-person meetings or requests for drug tests; [x] Social anxiety, medical cannabis user who is aware that even though legal (in AU) it is stigmatised.…

This is why human judgement is significantly more nuanced than a pile of if statements.

Re: How not to hire a North Korean plant posing as a techie

#120

Post by kube-system »

MerelyMortal wrote: post #109
natpalmer1776 wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

First source I could fine, but I’m sure you can find more: https://www.rkpt.com/business-and-corporate-law/employment-a...

That's a good source, however the issue that I see is that they already knew about it and kept him on. You can't say it's okay to use marajuna and then later say, I had no idea he would test positive for marajuna. They should have reasonably known that he would test positive for marajuna. Maybe it's not a medical discrimination case, but it's definately a case.

It's a National Labor Relations Act case. Employees have the right to talk about unionization with their coworkers.

The employer constructed the other evidence as an excuse (which is what basically any employer knowledgable of the law does), but the previous approval would undermine the validity of that evidence.

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