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The suburban hacker house: She helped North Korea infiltrate American tech
This isn’t a ripped-from-the-headlines new Netflix series. This really happened in a quiet neighborhood called Litchfield Park that’s about a 20-minute drive from Phoenix, Arizona.
Christina Chapman, 50, looked like your average middle-aged suburban woman. But inside her humble home? A secret cyber ops center built to help North Korean IT workers buy equipment and tools for their military by infiltrating hundreds of U.S. companies.
That picture above was just a small part of her setup.
🇰🇵 Here’s how it worked
North Korean workers aren’t browsing LinkedIn or applying at Google, Amazon and Meta. They can’t. Sanctions block them from working for American companies, at least legally. So what do they do?
They steal real Americans’ identities, including names, birth dates, Social Security numbers and more. Then, they use them to pose as remote IT workers, slipping into U.S. companies under anyone’s radar.
But when companies send out laptops and phones to their “remote new hires”? Those devices can’t exactly be shipped to Pyongyang.
🙇🏻♀️ Enter Christina
Over the course of three years, Christina turned her suburban home into a covert operations hub for North Korea’s elite cybercriminals.
She received more than 100 laptops and smartphones shipped from companies all across the U.S. These weren’t no-name startups. We’re talking major American banks, top-tier tech firms and at least one U.S. government contractor.
All thought they were hiring remote U.S.-based workers. They had no idea they were actually onboarding North Korean operatives.
Once the gear arrived, Chapman connected the devices to VPNs, remote desktop tools like AnyDesk and Chrome Remote Desktop, and even rigged up voice-changing software.
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Your streaming bill is robbing you blind
On my national radio show, I mentioned that the average American spends $110 a month on streaming subscriptions. Add in $80+ for decent internet, and suddenly cable doesn’t look so evil.
My inbox exploded: “Kim, how do I lower my streaming bill?”
🗑️ Don’t waste money on outdated tech: Before buying a cheap phone, tablet or e-reader, check if it’s still supported. Visit endoflife.date and search the model to see if updates have ended or it’s discontinued. If it’s past its prime, that usually means no more security updates, which is a big no-no.
💾 You’ve got no mail: Goodbye forever, dial-up. AOL finally shut down this week when traffic is up 20%. The AOL brand will live on with Italy’s Bending Spoons, who are buying it from Yahoo for $1.4B because it still pulls in ad money and subscription cash. And to honor AOL’s modem sounds, a nod to my geeky readers. Watch this video about how one guy literally daisy-chained 12 dial-up modems into a 668kbps Frankenline. Incredible.
Your computer’s about to be worthless
Microsoft is ending Windows 10 support on October 14, leaving over 400 million PCs vulnerable. Without costly extended updates, students and small businesses face tough choices on security and upgrades.
Are baby monitors really safe from hackers?
I talk to Adam from Boston, a new dad who wants to buy a video baby monitor but also wants to make sure he’s the only one watching it. Then, how Cracker Barrel went from the fastest-growing chain to dead last because of fake outrage. Plus, the future of driving isn’t touch screens, the government’s $42 billion internet money pit, and an influencer who almost lost his finger to his smart ring.
Compare docs the easy way: Collabing in Google Docs can get messy fast. Skip the side-by-side chaos of spotting changes manually. Instead, go to Tools > Compare documents and select the other file. Google creates a new doc with deletions crossed out and additions highlighted. Lifesaver.
Stop being a pushover with ChatGPT
Always the peacemaker? You’ve been running an unpaid role as everyone’s feelings manager. Here’s how ChatGPT can help you stay calm, clear, and in control without burning out.
AI chat ad trap: Meta’s creepy AI chats will fuel even creepier ad targeting. Starting in December, anything you tell the chatbot, “best hikes in Sedona” or “I have IBS,” could shape your ads and feed. One billion users, one giant data grab. So yeah, maybe don’t trauma-dump to the algorithm unless you want an ad for probiotics.
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The tech myths we can’t stop repeating
Tech myths have a way of sticking around like those 99 browser tabs you keep open, harmless at first, but over time, they slow everything down. They spread in group texts, get repeated by well-meaning relatives and pop up like spammy ads from 2003.
💬 Reply from lock screen: iPhone makes it easy to fire off a text without fully unlocking. When a message pops up on your lock screen, just long-press the preview, punch in your passcode, and a mini Messages window with keyboard appears. Type, send, done. Fast replies, zero app hunting.
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Watch your wallet. Big wireless promises “free phones,” but it comes with an overpriced monthly plan. I chose Consumer Cellular instead and get two lines for $60/month, reliable coverage and top-rated U.S. service. Use code KIM25 at ConsumerCellular.com/KIM for $25 in savings.
Art heists, redacted documents and iPads … Oh my!
I talk to David from Gainesville, Florida, who was looking for advice to beef up his business but ended up spilling the tea on a wild unsolved mystery. Then, how that tracker on your cat could double as the perfect stalking device. Plus, why your computer may be headed for the garbage, Microsoft’s debut in the world of fashion, and why you’ll be seeing more iPads on college football sidelines this season.
AI has ears everywhere
Today on The Current AI Podcast, George takes you inside the hidden world of ultrasonic tracking, the creepy tech that links your devices through sounds you can’t even hear. Then it’s off to the Web Water Cooler, where we talk Samsung’s swollen Galaxy Ring, Alexa’s new paywall, AI-powered scams, and even China’s pay-to-wipe toilets. In Device Advice, learn how AI now fights ransomware in Google Drive, the fastest way to cancel sneaky app subscriptions, and smart tricks for Google Docs, YouTube, and Fire TV. From smart speakers to smart scams, this episode is packed with AI, security, and gadget hacks you don’t want to miss.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Hate when pasted text shows up with random fonts and colors? Easy fix to remove the formatting. On Windows, hit Ctrl + Shift + V. On Mac, use Cmd + Option + Shift + V. Works in most apps.
It’s a mail-dominated industry: Remember yelling, “Just need to drop this off!” in the post office line? USPS heard you. They’re trying to cut wait times by 40% by redesigning 2,600+ locations with techy lobbies, 24/7 lockers and kiosks. But, yes, it still smells like paper and stress in there.