Our manifesto

Deepfake Deception Sucks: But Let's Fight Back

The Breakdown of Digital Trust

Establishing trust used to be straightforward. Face-to-face meetings, voice-to-voice conversations—all these interactions were the foundation of certainty in business relationships. But today, digital deception is disrupting this trust.

The Threat of Deepfake Technology

We love deepfakes when they’re used for creative, innovative, and ethical purposes—pushing the boundaries of art, entertainment, and storytelling. But, as open-source deepfake tools with no guardrails flood the market, the risks have skyrocketed. These tools, accessible to anyone, make impersonation and manipulation as simple as clicking a button. Businesses now face a new era of threats where every email, call, or video could be an alarmingly convincing lie. The line between innovation and exploitation has never been thinner.

And the statistics are alarming: 91% of users aren’t confident in their ability to detect deepfakes, while there has been a 2,137% increase in deepfake fraud attempts over the last three years. This paints a clear picture—deepfakes suck, but we can’t just sit back. We need to act now.

Employees and Vulnerability to Deepfakes

The threat is personal and direct—employees are supposed to be the front line of defense, but they often lack the training to recognize deepfake attacks. With deepfakes becoming more sophisticated and widespread, organizations are increasingly vulnerable to exploitation. For example, Arup, a global consulting firm, fell victim to a deepfake scam that cost them $25 million. It was a highly targeted, realistic attack that bypassed standard security measures by exploiting human trust.

The potential for financial fraud is huge, and it’s growing. Deepfake technology has proven profitable for cybercriminals, making it critical for organizations to adapt their security approaches quickly.

Know Your Baseline: Simulate Deepfake Attacks

Combating the deepfake threat requires more than just detection—it requires action. Organizations need to know their baseline by simulating deepfake scenarios to understand how their teams and systems respond. Much like how companies approach email phishing by training employees to recognize suspicious messages, deepfake attack simulations test awareness and response to these high-tech scams. Realistic simulations, such as fake video calls from executives or voice phishing that mimics trusted colleagues, are key to building resilience against these attacks.

Building Awareness and Security

Training must evolve with the tactics of attackers—continuous, adaptable, and targeted to the roles within your business. When employees are equipped to identify deepfake threats, the overall security posture of the organization strengthens. It’s not just about awareness; it’s about embedding a culture of vigilance.

Build Processes That Withstand Deepfake Deception

Smart security isn't just about detection—it's about designing processes that assume someone might fall for a deepfake. Think about how transactions are authorized. If a deepfake call comes in claiming to be your CEO, is there a secondary layer of verification? Do employees know to validate instructions through an alternate secure method, like a verified phone number or encrypted messaging platform?

Imagine your finance department receives a video request for a wire transfer. Before the transaction is authorized, a process should be in place to double-check with the requester in person, or at least through a separate communication channel. This approach doesn't rely on any one employee’s ability to detect deception but uses layered verification to ensure that even if a deepfake gets past one person, it won’t bypass the entire system.

Another measure is utilizing passphrase authentication or multi-factor verification for sensitive decisions, which can make it much harder for deepfake deception to be successful.

A Unified Approach to Deepfake Protection

We are on a journey to build an all-in-one deepfake protection capability that secures not just businesses but the very foundation of digital trust. It’s time to go beyond being aware—it's time to fight back. Together, we can turn the tide against deepfake threats.

Let’s take action. Reach out to learn how we can protect your business and restore trust in the digital world.