Ethical Hacking News
The use of deepfakes in scams has become a major concern in recent years, particularly when it comes to targeting former and current US government officials. The FBI warns that individuals should be vigilant when receiving unsolicited messages or phone calls claiming to be from senior US government officials.
Deepfakes have become a major concern in recent years, particularly in scams and cybercrime. The scammers are using AI-generated voices to impersonate senior US government officials, tricking victims into divulging sensitive information or transferring large sums of money. The scammers are using two main tactics: smishing (text messaging) and vishing (voice phishing). Recipients of suspicious messages should call back using the official number of the relevant department, rather than the one provided. AI-generated voice deepfakes can be difficult to identify as fake, and recipients should contact their security officials or the FBI for help if they have any doubts about the authenticity of the message. The technology behind interactive video deepfakes is still in its infancy and will likely be several years before it becomes accessible to ordinary individuals.
The use of deepfakes has become a major concern in recent years, particularly when it comes to scams and cybercrime. As technology improves and costs fall, attackers are increasingly using AI-generated voices to impersonate senior US government officials, tricking victims into divulging sensitive information or transferring large sums of money.
According to the FBI, the scammers have been running a major fraud campaign since April, with most of the messages targeting former and current US government officials. The attackers are after login details for official accounts, which they then use to compromise other government systems and try to harvest financial account information.
The scammers are using two main tactics: smishing (text messaging) and vishing (voice phishing). They send text messages claiming to be from a senior US official, asking the recipient to move to a separate messaging platform. The FBI advises that recipients of these messages should call back using the official number of the relevant department, rather than the one provided.
The attackers are also using AI-generated voice messages, which they claim come from a senior US official in an effort to establish rapport before gaining access to personal accounts. However, the FBI warns that these messages can be difficult to identify as fake, and recipients should contact their security officials or the FBI for help if they have any doubts about the authenticity of the message.
The use of deepfakes in scams has become increasingly common over the past few years, with attackers using AI-generated voices to impersonate humans in real-time. However, interactive video deepfakes remain harder and more expensive to create, and it is unlikely that ordinary individuals will be able to wield this technology without significant resources.
According to Chester Wisniewski, global field CISO of British security biz Sophos, "Right now, based on discussions I've had, it would probably take $30 million to do [interactive video deepfakes], so maybe if you're the NSA it's possible." However, Wisniewski notes that the technology is still in its infancy and will likely be several years before it becomes accessible to ordinary individuals.
The use of deepfakes in scams has serious implications for cybersecurity, as they can trick victims into divulging sensitive information or transferring large sums of money. The FBI's warning highlights the need for individuals to be vigilant when receiving unsolicited messages or phone calls claiming to be from senior US government officials.
In conclusion, the rise of deepfake scams is a growing concern that requires attention and vigilance from cybersecurity experts and individuals alike. As technology improves and costs fall, attackers are increasingly using AI-generated voices to impersonate senior US government officials, tricking victims into divulging sensitive information or transferring large sums of money.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/The-Rise-of-Deepfake-Scams-A-Growing-Threat-to-Cybersecurity-ehn.shtml
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2025/05/16/fbi_deepfake_us_government_warning/
https://www.theregister.com/2025/05/16/fbi_deepfake_us_government_warning/
https://www.msn.com/en-us/technology/artificial-intelligence/scammers-are-deepfaking-voices-of-senior-us-government-officials-warns-fbi/ar-AA1ERX7S
Published: Fri May 16 01:42:45 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
