American Special Services Warn of Growing Threat of Synthetic Media
American special services, including the National Security Agency, FBI and CISA, have published a report highlighting the increasing threat of “synthetic media,” or deepfakes. Synthetic media refers to artificially created texts, videos, and audio recordings that are becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish from real content.
The report warns that scammers and spies are frequently using deepfakes to gain unauthorized access to corporate systems by impersonating companies or deceiving customers. The primary targets of these attacks are military personnel, employees of public structures, rescuers, critical infrastructure, and defense enterprises.
Two notable incidents occurred in May 2023, according to the report. In one case, attackers successfully imitated the voice and appearance of a company’s CEO during a WhatsApp call. They even managed to recreate the CEO’s room, adding to the deception.
In another example, criminals utilized a combination of fake audio, video, and text messages to impersonate a high-ranking official. The communication initially took place through WhatsApp and later transitioned to a video conference on the Teams platform. The report states, “The quality of the connection was very poor, prompting the attacker to suggest switching to a text format and pressuring the victim to transfer funds. At this stage, the victim grew suspicious and abruptly ended the conversation.”
Government agencies also reference the main political and economic risks of 2023 identified by the Eurasia Group, where generative artificial intelligence ranks third. According to the group’s report, advancements in AI technology can erode social trust and reinforce the influence of authoritarian regimes.
The use of synthetic media produced through generative technologies poses a convenient tool for spreading misinformation in the political and social spheres.
As a precaution against deepfake attacks, departments recommend that companies implement