KnowBe4 launches free module to secure the hiring process

KnowBe4 has introduced a new complimentary cybersecurity training module designed to enhance organisational security during the hiring process.

This development follows an incident where KnowBe4's security team successfully detected and thwarted a sophisticated infiltration attempt by a North Korean hacker within their hiring process. The attempted breach was detected and neutralised within 25 minutes, preventing any illegal access or data compromise.

In response to this event and similar incidents reported at other organisations, KnowBe4 has launched an initiative to assess and improve hiring security protocols. The resulting training module is aimed at addressing key vulnerabilities in conventional recruitment practices that can be targeted by state-sponsored actors.

The new Secure Hiring and Onboarding module offers guidance on mitigating risks during the recruitment phase. It includes insights from KnowBe4 staff members who share their experiences in identifying and handling a threat disguised as a new hire, linked to a nation-state government.

The training module is formulated to aid Human Resources professionals, IT specialists, hiring managers, and others in managing security threats that can surface during the onboarding process. It plans to raise awareness about hiring-based security threats and provide practical methods for identifying risks.

John Just, Chief Learning Officer at KnowBe4, noted, "In recent years, there has been a disturbing trend of state-sponsored hackers, particularly from North Korea, attempting to infiltrate organisations by exploiting the hiring process. At KnowBe4, we experienced this firsthand and successfully prevented such an attempt. This module is born from that experience, turning our real-world encounter into actionable knowledge."

Just continued, "By focusing on the hiring process, we are helping organisations strengthen their defences at a critical point of vulnerability. We are now offering this training at no cost, empowering companies to detect and manage these sophisticated infiltration attempts from the very first interaction with potential hires. It is about transforming every step of the recruitment process into an opportunity to enhance organisational security."

The module is now available for organisations looking to bolster their recruitment security measures and develop robust practices against possible cyber threats in the hiring process.

KnowBe4, the provider of the world's largest security awareness training and simulated phishing platform, is used by more than 70,000 organisations around the globe. Founded by IT and data security specialist Stu Sjouwerman, KnowBe4 aims to help organisations address the human element of security by raising awareness about ransomware, CEO fraud and other social engineering tactics through a new-school approach to awareness training on security.

The late Kevin Mitnick, who was an internationally recognised cybersecurity specialist and KnowBe4's Chief Hacking Officer, helped design the KnowBe4 training based on his well-documented social engineering tactics. Organisations rely on KnowBe4 to mobilise their end users as their last line of defense and trust the KnowBe4 platform to strengthen their security culture and reduce human risk.