The FBI recently announced that more companies are reporting people applying for jobs using deepfake technology. Scammers use stolen videos, photos, recordings, and identities pretending to be someone else to get a remote position in the IT field. It may sound like a joke, but hiring a fake person can lead to serious problems when a fake employee gets sensitive information and customer data of the company. It could pose a threat to the security of Company data, and in the event of a security breach, the Company would not have the opportunity to bring the fraudster to justice.
The aforementioned case is not the only way fraudsters use deepfake techniques to exploit institutions. With the development of technology, fraudsters can use these new methods to deceive biometric tests that banks and cryptocurrency exchanges use to verify users' identities in order to reduce money laundering. According to a report by Sensei, 9 out of the top 10 customer recognition solutions companies were at high risk of deepfake attacks.
Moreover, the deepfake technique is also used in spear phishing; Scammers can impersonate CEOs to gain the trust of targeted people, trick them into sending sensitive data, transfer money, or give them access to their organization's infrastructure. In one case, criminals managed to obtain $35 million by falsifying the voice of a company manager.
Understanding the risk “guarantees victory in half the battle,” said Vladislav Toshkanov, chief data scientist at the Russian research center Kaspersky, noting the importance of educating employees about new fraud methods. He explained that elaborate deepfakes require a lot of experience and effort, while common scams or simultaneous interactions during an interview are usually of low quality.
He added: “Attempts to make a deep fake can be distinguished by signs that include abnormal movements of the lips, poorly shaped hair, asymmetry of the face with the body and its surroundings, little or no eyelids, uneven skin tone, errors in the representation of clothing, or the passing of a strange hand in front of the face. But the scammer may deliberately lower the quality of the video in an attempt to hide these signs. So we recommend that job interviews be staged including next to HR officials the people who will work with the new employee, in order to reduce the chances of hiring fake employees. This will increase the chances of discovering anything unusual. ".
Technologies are also instrumental in the fight against deep counterfeiting. Trusted digital security solutions will ensure adequate support if high-quality deepfake attempts convince an employee to download malicious files or software or visit phishing sites with suspicious links. An anti-fraud solution that includes user behavior analysis and financial transaction monitoring features may be a good option for companies using customer recognition solutions, providing an additional level of protection.