Recognizing fake media before it costs you.
In recent years, deepfakes, AI-generated videos and audio that mimic real people, have evolved from a tech curiosity into a serious threat for businesses. These sophisticated manipulations can impersonate CEOs, managers, or other key employees, leading to financial fraud, data breaches, and reputational damage. Understanding how to spot deepfakes is critical for protecting your company.
What are Deepfakes?
Deepfakes are synthetic media created using artificial intelligence and machine learning. They can replicate a person’s appearance, voice, and even mannerisms, making it increasingly difficult to distinguish real content from fake. While they can be used for harmless entertainment, cybercriminals are now leveraging them to commit fraud and scams.
How deepfakes are used in corporate scams.
- CEO or Executive Fraud: Scammers create fake audio or video messages of executives instructing employees to transfer funds or share confidential information.
- Fake contracts and communications: Manipulated videos can be used to falsify approvals or agreements.
- Social Engineering: Deepfakes may be paired with phishing emails or urgent messages to pressure employees into making mistakes.
Signs a voice or video might be fake.
- Visual Cues: Unnatural blinking, mismatched lip movements, odd lighting, or slightly distorted facial features.
- Audio Cues: Awkward pauses, robotic or monotone speech, inconsistent tone or background sounds.
- Contextual Cues: Unexpected requests, pressure to act quickly, or instructions that don’t align with normal company processes.
How to protect your company.
- Verification Tools: Use software designed to detect deepfake audio and video.
- Employee Training: Educate your team about the risks and teach them how to verify unusual requests.
- Multi-Step Verification: Always confirm financial or sensitive requests through multiple channels (e.g., phone call, face-to-face confirmation).
- Digital Forensics: In suspicious cases, involve I.T. security teams to analyze media for manipulation.
As deepfake technology becomes more advanced, businesses must stay vigilant. By knowing the signs and implementing verification protocols, companies can reduce the risk of falling victim to these sophisticated scams. Remember: when in doubt, always verify before acting.