Deepfake Threats Are Escalating – And Businesses Need to Prepare

Deep fake technology has become a growing concern for consumers and business owners alike. News10NBC’s Deanna Dewberry explored this issue with a demonstration from Adaptive Security, a New York City company specializing in cybersecurity.

Deepfakes Cost Pennies, But Carry Big Risk

Brian Long, CEO and co-founder of Adaptive Security, explained how easy it is to create such videos. “Today, there’s no skill. We can have an intern make that video in five minutes. And they make it off of a single image and just 10 seconds of audio,” Long said.

The technology is not only easy to use but also inexpensive. Long says it costs just pennies to create a deep fake of almost anyone.

Deep fakes can mimic a person’s mannerisms and speech patterns. “Well, the AI image even had my mannerisms and the way I squint,” Dewberry said.

Serious Implications for Businesses

For business owners, this poses a unique threat. “One thing they’re doing is they’re actually applying for jobs at the company,” Long said. This means that an applicant interviewed via Zoom might not be real. “The interviewer is actually seeing an AI-created image,” Long said. “Once they get the job, they get access to all the company’s systems and they can wreak havoc.”

These scams are often run by overseas crime rings using stolen Social Security numbers, making it difficult to catch the perpetrators.

Practical Tips

To protect against such attacks, Long advised business owners to verify the identity of interviewees. “You can have them interact with something in their environment,” said Long. “Stand up, turn around. I even make the joke to whistle or sing because the AI is not very good at that yet.”

For consumers, Long suggested not recording personal voicemail messages and using a code word with family members to verify identity.

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