State-sponsored hackers targeting defence sector employees, Google says - Victoria Jiménez Sánchez | Laabri

New reports from Google show that hackers are now attacking people directly to steal secrets. These hackers often work for governments. Their main targets are companies that make weapons, planes, and cars in the US and Europe.

How do they do it?

In the past, hackers tried to attack a company’s office computers. Now, they are attacking employees on their personal devices, like home laptops or phones. This is harder for companies to stop because it happens outside the office network.

The hackers use very clever methods:

Fake Job Offers: Some hackers pretend to be recruiters. They send fake job offers to people to steal their passwords.
AI Technology: They use Artificial Intelligence to learn about an employee’s salary and role before they attack.
Fake Websites: They create websites that look real but are actually designed to steal information.

Examples of Attacks

North Korea: Recently, the US discovered that over 100 North Koreans used fake identities to get remote IT jobs at American companies. They did this to earn money and steal cryptocurrency.
Russia: Hackers have attacked the Signal and Telegram accounts of soldiers and journalists in Ukraine. They even pretended to be teachers of drone courses to trick soldiers.
China and Iran: These groups send personalized emails. For example, if an employee has children, they might receive a fake email from a school or a youth club to make them click a dangerous link.

Why does this matter?

Experts say this is now a global problem. It is not only about one country. Because many international companies work together on projects, a hacker can attack a person in one country to get secrets from another.

To stay safe, employees must be very careful about the emails they open and the jobs they apply for online.

Based on an article originally published by The Guardian on 10th February 2026

1

Who is the main target of the new cyber-espionage campaigns?

A) Government buildings and police stations.

B) Employees of defense, aerospace, and car companies.

C) Children in primary schools.

D) Only people living in Ukraine.

1

What technology do hackers use to learn about an employee's salary and role?

Radio signals

Videogames

Public libraries

Artificial Intelligence

1

In the US, what was the secret goal of the 100 North Koreans who got remote IT jobs?

A) To move to the United States permanently.

B) To help American companies improve their security.

C) To earn money for their government and steal cryptocurrency.

D) To learn how to build better cars.

1

How did hackers try to trick Ukrainian soldiers recently?

A) By pretending to be drone builders or instructors.

B) By offering them free food in the city.

C) By sending them letters through the traditional post.

D) By calling them on their home landline phones.

1

What is "spoofing" in the context of this text?

A) Buying a new computer for work.

B) Deleting all the files on a server.

C) Creating fake websites or portals that look real.

D) Improving the speed of the office internet.

1

According to the text... Why did some employees receive emails from the "Boy Scouts of America"?

A) Because they were looking for a new hobby.

B) Because the Boy Scouts needed more defense technology.

C) Because it was a national holiday in the US.

D) Because hackers sent personalized emails based on the employee’s family life.

1

What did Iranian hackers use to steal credentials?

A) Fake job portals and fake job offers.

B) USB drives left in parking lots.

C) Television advertisements.

D) Social media influencers.

1

Why is this described as a "transnational security issue"?

A) Because hackers only attack one country at a time.

B) Because attackers target employees in many countries to get secrets that affect everyone.

C) Because the internet is the same in every country.

D) Because only people who travel a lot are in danger.

1

Why is it harder for companies to stop these attacks now?

A) Because hackers are using faster computers than companies.

B) Because the attacks happen on personal devices outside the office.

C) Because employees don't know how to use phones.

D) Because the internet is too expensive for defense firms.

1

What is the best way for employees to stay safe according to the summary?

A) By never using a computer again.

B) By changing their names every month.

C) By working only in the company office at night.

D) By being very careful with emails and job applications online.