SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — In today's digital world, cyberattacks have gone from a distant possibility to an unavoidable certainty. CBS 8 talked with an expert on how AI deepfakes are a growing threat to consumer identity.
“Social engineering tactics are often exacerbated by the use of AI and deepfake, which can cause people to react in ways that they wouldn’t normally interact with a stranger,” said Rachel Bush, Vice President of Cybersecurity Risk at Nationwide.
In a world where video and audio can be manipulated with ease, it can be hard to know what’s real and what’s not.
“Really what the threat actor is doing is leveraging technology to convince you that they’re someone that they’re not,” said Bush.
A recent survey conducted by Nationwide found that most consumers are highly concerned with the misuse of artificial intelligence.
"It really only takes a few seconds of video and audio for a threat actor to produce a deepfake that is really compelling," said Bush. "They can use that to craft messages that might allow the person to think that someone that they love is truly at risk and in need of help, and maybe is asking for money.”
The FBI has issued warnings about AI and how it can be used by scammers to craft highly convincing voice or video messages. These tactics can result in financial losses, reputational damage, and compromise of sensitive data.
“It’s really difficult to discern what you can trust and what you can’t, so my advice is to operate with a healthy degree of skepticism, and make sure that what you’re interacting with is something that you trust,” said Bush.
She recommends having a “safe word” with family and friends that can be used for validation in the event a phone call from one of them seems suspicious.
Bush also points out that we have to be vigilant with texts and emails because AI can mimic the writing style and tone of someone we know. She warns to be careful when asked to click on links or download files.
“Fraudsters will take advantage of that data to do things like take over a bank account or potentially to gather enough information that might even allow them to open up fraudulent loans or fraudulent credit cards or operate under that person’s identity,” said Bush.
For additional cybersecurity resources, visit this page with tips to stay protected.