DEEPFAKES: What they mean for your organisation

Imagine a staff broadcast video distributed throughout your organisation to all staff sent from your email address.

This is the impact, of deepfakes where cybercriminals use artificial intelligence to manipulate video, audio or both in your likeness and replace it with someone else’s likeness. Making you appear as if you have said or done something that never took place. These synthetic videos use artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to analyse and mimic your behaviour, facial expressions, and speech patterns being impersonated. The result is a highly convincing, but entirely false, representation of you.

AI poses various threats and deepfakes fall into this category. With websites such as deepfakesweb.com anyone can create unethical video content using deepfake technology that poses a risk to your organisations security.

As a decision maker in your organisation, it is crucial to stay informed of the latest advancements and threats in technology that can impact your organisation. It is essential to understand what they are and what they mean for your organisation.

The Danger To Your Organisation

The implications of deepfake videos for your organisation are significant and far-reaching. Firstly, deepfakes can be used to spread misinformation, create hoaxes, and manipulate public opinion. This can be especially dangerous in political campaigns, where deepfake videos can be used to spread disinformation and undermine public trust in candidates and institutions. In business, deepfakes can be used to spread false information about your company or its products, leading to reputational damage and financial losses.

Another potential risk posed by deepfakes is related to the use of these videos in cybercrime. For example, deepfake videos can be used in phishing scams, where criminals use fake videos to impersonate executives or other high-level employees to gain access to sensitive information or steal money. Deepfakes can also be used in extortion and blackmail, where criminals threaten to release damaging deepfake videos unless a ransom is paid. Moreover, deepfakes can also have a significant impact on the privacy of employees and customers. Deepfake videos can be used to spread false information about individuals or to extract sensitive information from them. This can lead to privacy breaches and reputational damage for both employees and customers.

Dealing With The Threat

Meta launched a deepfake detector challenge that encouraged researchers and developers to make machine learning algorithms capable of detecting deepfakes and fight them. Researchers managed to reach more than 80% accuracy in identifying synthetic videos. Bad actors’ technology continues to improve post the challenge and this poses a risk to your organisation. In light of these risks, it is essential for your organisation to take proactive measures to protect itself from the potential consequences of deepfake videos. Some steps you can take include:

1. Implementing strong cybersecurity measures to prevent cyberattacks that use deepfake videos

2. Educating employees and customers about the dangers of deepfakes and how to identify them

3. Monitoring online platforms and social media for any false or misleading information about your company or its products

4. Adapt business processes to account for deep fake threats such as payment approval processes

5. Establishing a plan to respond to deepfake videos that could impact your organisation, including legal action where appropriate

6. Act Quick! Being attacked publicly requires a prompt response to prevent reputational damage. Follow the steps in the plan listed above

In conclusion, algorithms are improving and deepfake videos are a rapidly developing technology that has the potential to cause significant harm to organisations. As a decision maker, it is essential to be aware of the risks posed by deepfakes and to take the necessary steps to protect your company and its reputation. Comprehensive prevention and preparation is a priority for dealing with deepfakes. By staying informed and proactive, you can ensure that your organisation is prepared for the challenges posed by deepfakes and other emerging technologies.

REPRESENTUS, A NONPROFIT ANTI-CORRUPTION AND GOOD GOVERNANCE GROUP, CREATED A VIDEO FEATURING KIM JONG UN USING DEEPFAKE TECHNOLOGY. THE DEEPFAKE VIDEO WAS USED TO ENCOURAGE AMERICANS TO VOTE