The term deepfake is typically used to refer to a video that has been edited using an Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithm to replace the person in the original video with someone else (especially a public figure) in a way that makes the video look authentic.There are real fears that malicious actors, possibly nation states, may attempt to release “Deepfakes” to influence the upcoming election in the US. Whether true or not, it is important to know this technology exists and that it will become increasingly difficult in the future to determine fact from fiction with this technology being used.
What does this mean for an SMB?
It is important to keep an eye on deepfakes in the coming months, as security experts are saying it is the next tool in hackers toolbag. They can use deepfakes to influence company reputation, influence politics, and potentially influence a companies stock price. At this very moment there is not much we can do to detect these technologically, but there are some things we can do:
- Look for face discolorations.
- Look for lighting that isn’t quite right.
- Watch the lips of the person and see if the sound and video are synced poorly.
- Blurriness where the face and hair meet.
- Do your research and educate yourself on deepfakes and how they are being used by hackers.
Source: Merriam Webster Dictionary