October. The month the night grows longer, and spooky whispers fill the air. Your neighbor is masquerading as a world-renowned singer and her husband is living out his football superstar fantasies. October is a spectacle, and maybe it’s time to slip into your costume. Unfortunately, you are not the only one in disguise. In fact, someone somewhere may be scheming to prepare a costume that looks just like…you. That’s right. You are not out of the running in some of the characters people may choose to be. Welcome to the world of Deepfakes, where every month of the year is filled with elaborate disguises and digital deceptions.
What Exactly is Deepfake?
Well, have you ever really wanted something from a reputable brand that is quite the investment piece? I’m talking about an amount of money that makes you think twice, perhaps three times. Suddenly, you see it somewhere at an incredibly affordable price. Chances are it’s a fake, an imitation of the authentic brand. A deepfake is just that, a phony, an imitation of someone or something utilizing AI-generated audio, video, or image.
Trick or treat can be fun, but most prefer treats- And certainly, nobody wants to unknowingly hand over the keys to their digital candy jar to a deepfake wearing the mask of a trusted friend. Equally terrifying would be a mask of your image and likeness spewing opinions and comments on the internet that you very much did not say – that is a nasty trick. The point is, if technology is used to represent you in a way you do not want and without your permission, the results could be catastrophic to your reputation, relationships, finances, and more.
How Does it Work?
Now that we have an idea why we may want to have a watchful eye on this use of AI technology, how does it work? First, let’s deconstruct the term, the first part “deep” is due to the use of AI deep learning which is needed for this process to be successful. Secondly, “fake” reiterates the sentiment that what you are viewing or hearing is not real. When we string the entire process of deepfake creation into a simple explanation, the steps are as follows: Data Gathering, AI Training, face swapping, and voice synthesis. The eventual output, once completed and fine-tuned, results in this “deepfake”.
But here is where the real horror story begins: the mask of “You” is already awaiting use by your virtual twin. The technology is already out there to make the AI deepfake, now all that is needed is a comb through the internet for images of you, audio recordings of your voice and videos that combine the full likeness of you. This includes TikTok videos, Instagram stories, or maybe you hosted a podcast with a friend or posted that “day in the life” YouTube video. The bigger the digital footprint, the better the costume.
What is the Relevance?
This is not some ghost story conjured up around a campfire or a far-fetched urban legend. This is increasingly happening more and more every day. Recently, Elon Musk re-posted a deepfake of current United States Vice President and presidential candidate Kamala Harris, in which her voice and image were manipulated using a deepfake claiming to be an Ad endorsing her campaign. Elon Musk’s image and likeness was used to promote fake cryptocurrency scams. Benedetto Vigna, CEO of Ferrari, had his voice impersonated by a deepfake attempting to solicit his business associates to share private business dealings. United States Senator Ben Cardin was not immune to these attacks – he was targeted by a deepfake of the former Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba, via Zoom video conferencing. The two connected on the platform through a live audio-video connection. It was not until Cardin noticed that Kuleba was asking politically charged questions that were out of character that he ended the call and confirmed the individual was not Kuleba but rather a deepfake.
Mitigations
It is not all doom and gloom; you can take steps to protect yourself from these “costume” obsessed threat actors. Such as the executive at Ferrari, who took the step to confirm the identity of CEO, Benedetto Vigna, by asking a question that only the real Mr. Vigna would know, the imposter did not know the answer and the call ended. It is important to become knowledgeable and stay informed about this evolving technology. Knowledge is power as they say, this is fundamentally true in the field of protecting yourself and your organization in the cyber realm. Be skeptical of information and verify its accuracy, especially before acting on it or sharing it. As always, use multi-factor authentication on all your accounts. If possible, limit your digital footprint. If you choose, you can support legislation or regulations that concern AI technology.
Now it’s time to go ensure your seasonal costume is ready for the big night, don’t procrastinate, because threat actors won’t.
References
“Deepfakes Explained.” MIT Sloan School of Management, https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/deepfakes-explained. Accessed 24 Oct. 2024.
“Deepfake.” Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/technology/deepfake. Accessed 24 Oct. 2024.
“Ferrari Deepfake Attack Foiled with Simple Question.” Inspired eLearning Blog, https://inspiredelearning.com/blog/ferrari-deepfake-attack-foiled-with-simple-question/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2024.
“Deconstructing Deepfakes: How Do They Work and What Are the Risks?” U.S. Government Accountability Office Blog, https://www.gao.gov/blog/deconstructing-deepfakes-how-do-they-work-and-what-are-risks. Accessed 24 Oct. 2024.
“Kamala Harris Deepfake Shared by Musk Sparks Free Speech Debate.” NBC News, https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/misinformation/kamala-harris-deepfake-shared-musk-sparks-free-speech-debate-rcna164119. Accessed 24 Oct. 2024.
“What Are Deepfakes?” Keeper Security Blog, https://www.keepersecurity.com/blog/2024/09/19/what-are-deepfakes/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2024.
“Ben Cardin Targeted in Apparent Deep Fake Call with Dmytro Kuleba.” NBC News, https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/ben-cardin-targeted-apparent-deep-fake-call-dmytro-kuleba-rcna172776. Accessed 24 Oct. 2024.
“First Federal Legislation on Deepfakes Signed into Law.” WilmerHale, https://www.wilmerhale.com/insights/client-alerts/20191223-first-federal-legislation-on-deepfakes-signed-into-law. Accessed 24 Oct. 2024.
“Elon Musk Deepfakes Are Fueling Crypto Scams: A Dangerous Trend.” CloudSEK Knowledge Base, https://www.cloudsek.com/knowledge-base/elon-musk-deepfakes-are-fueling-crypto-scams-a-dangerous-trend. Accessed 24 Oct. 2024.
Leave a Reply