Despite the advancements introduced by AI, the technology has also introduced significant challenges to the cybersecurity domain. These attacks can often be directly connected to AI due to the advancement and use of deep learning technologies.
Deepfakes can be used to plan and perform very convincing social engineering attacks. Challenges include fake videos, audio, photos, and text that are extremely hard to differentiate from authentic media. Attacks can result in fraud, as malicious actors can use deepfakes to impersonate individuals or organizations, potentially leading to financial losses or damage to a company’s reputation. Such attacks may range from vishing (voice phishing) and video call phishing to blackmail and other types of scam/fraud.
Deepfake Threat to All
The evolution and high availability of deepfake technology allows cybercriminals to target companies of all sizes, especially smaller businesses that may not have the resources to develop robust security measures.
Targeting High-value Individuals
As deepfake technology is more readily available, threat actors may shift their focus from executives to high-net-worth individuals or professionals with access to critical infrastructure. This could lead to targeted attacks with a high success rate on individuals or a business, potentially resulting in significant financial or operational impact.
Legal and Ethical Implications
Chris Noordyke
The use of deepfake technology raises legal, ethical, and societal concerns. Chief among them is the potential for misuse in spreading misinformation or forging footage. Businesses need to be aware of these implications and the potential legal recourse options.
Deepfake technology introduces a new dimension of global threats. This relatively new technology powered by AI enables highly realistic but entirely fabricated images, sounds, and videos, which can be used for performing very sophisticated cyberattacks. It can include malicious activities like identity theft, financial fraud, spreading disinformation, cyber bullying, deepfake sextortion, cyber deterrence, and even election manipulation.
For instance, several cases reported a deepfake audio/video tricked employees into transferring funds to fraudulent accounts.
For this reason, cybersecurity professionals need to develop and implement strong measures that can detect and mitigate these risks. This may include enhancing authentication methods, drastically improving the ability to identify and block deepfake content, and, most importantly, educating users about the signs of deepfake attacks.
As deepfake technology continues to evolve, so must the strategies and technologies used to protect against these threats.
Addressing Deepfake Misuses: A Guide for MSPs
MSPs and MSSPs can greatly contribute to countering the misuse of deepfake technology by offering specialized security solutions and enhancing awareness about the potential dangers.
Here are some ways services providers can help:
- Deploying/Improving Authentication Measures: MSPs can aid with the deployment of more sophisticated authentication methods, or even more effectively, help with the creation of a new one that will be harder to replicate with AI. They may consider implementing multifactor authentication and better biometric authentication methods that are less susceptible to such threats.
- Cutting-edge Cybersecurity Solutions and Tools: Cybersecurity solutions specifically designed to detect and mitigate deepfake threats can be offered to their clients. For example, they may deploy AI-powered tools that have the capability to identify and analyze deepfake content, whether it’s an email, photo, or even a video.
- Incident Response and Recovery: In the case of a deepfake incident, MSPs should provide an immediate response as well as recovery services to their clients. This can help isolate affected systems to prevent further spreading. MSPs should also investigate the attack source and implement better security practices to prevent further incidents. This may include assisting the post-incident process and communicating with stakeholders and the public to mitigate the impact.
- Regular Education, Awareness Trainings, and Deepfake Simulation Attacks: Educational programs ranging from identifying to responding to deepfake threats can help support clients. As part of this approach, MSPs may conduct regular employee awareness trainings on how to recognize deepfake content and perform simulated deepfake attacks as examples to achieve and maintain high awareness.
- Secure/Monitor Communication Channels: MSPs can also provide continuous monitoring of business IT infrastructures to detect and respond to deepfake threats in real time. This would mean deploying advanced monitoring tools that can identify unusual patterns and recognize anomalies that may indicate a deepfake attack.
Awareness is Key
Today, deepfakes can target organizations of all sizes — everyone is susceptible. Organizations must rely on their technology partners to combat attacks and mitigate associated risks that can be severely detrimental to their business.
Chris Noordyke is general manager and chief revenue officer of Comtrade 360. He is an innovative and entrepreneurial sales executive with strong success in guiding highly productive channel sales teams to excel.
Image: iStock
