Best of Amazon — February 2026

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    Article
    Avatar of techleaddigestTech Lead Digest·15w

    North Korean infiltrator caught working in Amazon IT department thanks to lag — 110ms keystroke input raises red flags over true location [Updated]

    Amazon detected a North Korean infiltrator working as a contract system developer by monitoring keystroke input lag. The imposter's 110ms keystroke delay revealed they were remotely controlling a laptop located in Arizona from North Korea. Amazon has blocked over 1,800 DPRK infiltration attempts since April 2024, with attempts increasing 27% quarter-over-quarter. The company's Chief Security Officer emphasizes that active monitoring is essential, as these infiltrators would go undetected without proactive security measures. A woman facilitating this fraud was sentenced to prison earlier this year.

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    Article
    Avatar of tcTechCrunch·16w

    AI layoffs or ‘AI-washing’?

    Companies cited AI as the reason for over 50,000 layoffs in 2025, but a Forrester report suggests many are engaging in 'AI-washing' - blaming AI for cuts actually driven by financial pressures or pandemic over-hiring. Research indicates most companies announcing AI-related layoffs lack mature AI applications ready to replace those roles, using AI as an investor-friendly excuse rather than admitting business struggles.

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    Article
    Avatar of lastweekinawsThe Last Week in AWS·16w

    Chris Hemsworth Is an L9 at Amazon, and I Have Questions

    Amazon's internal employee directory briefly listed actor Chris Hemsworth as an L9 individual contributor reporting to CEO Andy Jassy. L9 is a level that officially doesn't exist in Amazon's hierarchy, which jumps from L8 (Senior Principal/Director) to L10 (VP/Distinguished Engineer). The satirical phone tool entry included details like employee ID 999999, location in an LAX data center, Bar Raiser status, and a passion for winning the Super Bowl Ad Meter poll. The entry appears to be an internal joke referencing Hemsworth's extensive involvement with Amazon through multiple projects including an Alexa+ Super Bowl commercial and Amazon MGM Studios films.

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