Written by Vineet Bahar
Deep fakes are artificial intelligence
this technology
However, as technology and its availability advances, the potential for abuse increases and malicious use becomes more prevalent and potentially impacting individuals as well as businesses.
Rapid evolution of deepfake technology
One of the most alarming aspects of deepfake technology is how quickly it is evolving. Researchers have developed an AI tool that allows users to edit video transcripts to change the words that come out of someone’s mouth. Although such technology is not yet readily available to consumers, it highlights the ease with which deepfake operations can be achieved. This rapid evolution of deepfake technology is a growing concern for individuals and organizations.
Generative AI and deepfakes
Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) technology is rapidly evolving. The “deep video portrait” system developed at Stanford University allows users to manipulate facial expressions, gaze, 3D head position, blinking, and head rotation through generative neural networks. The videos created may not be perfect, but they look so real that it becomes difficult to tell the real from the fake.
Challenging the idea that only those with comprehensive documentation can be used for deepfake operations, AI Lab has demonstrated a “living portrait” of an iconic figure. Machine learning has made it possible to create these portraits using common video footage of different people, making it easy to create portraits using just a few photos.
These advances are making it easier for everyday internet users to generate content using basic prompts, providing opportunities for widespread cybercrime activity, including the increasing use of deepfakes.
Deepfake detection: the art and science
Detecting deepfakes has been a difficult endeavor. Previously, it was generally accepted that online video and audio presentations were authentic. But these days, differentiating the real from the fake can be a combination of art and science. Human intuition plays a key role in detecting irregular voice rhythms, unrealistic shadows around the eyes, or other obvious signs of deepfake manipulation. Deepfakes often leave viewers with the feeling that something is wrong due to errors in the manipulation process.
There are some clues you can look out for when trying to differentiate between authentic content and deepfakes. These include skin-to-body mismatch, unrealistic skin tone, unnatural skin texture and shine, unusual shadows around the eyes, atypical blink patterns, and unrealistic glare in glasses. These include facial expressions, unnatural mouth movements, lip syncing, mismatched lip colors, and mismatched facial hair. , and an unrealistic mole on the face. Staying vigilant and aware of these signs can be an important first step to early detection of deepfakes.
Creating robust security procedures
As business value chains become more international and corporate data and sensitive content increases, information security is becoming the most important pillar of the enterprise.
An organization’s security strategy must include measures to prevent the damage caused by deepfake attacks. To reduce the threat of deepfake attacks, companies can seek guidance from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. The Zero Trust Maturity Model provides helpful advice in this regard.
Stopping advanced deepfakes requires continuous monitoring and staying up to date with the latest tools and technology. Staying ahead of potential threats requires diligence and good information.
Defense against deepfakes
- Establish deepfake policy and awareness (organizational perspective): First, it’s important to establish a comprehensive deepfake policy within your organization to address detection, reporting, and response to potential deepfake incidents. Educate your staff on the dangers associated with deepfakes and how to prevent them with leading best practices.
- Protect your intellectual property (IP): Implement robust cybersecurity measures to protect IP and copyrighted content. Strengthen security protocols to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive materials.
- Secure storage and transfer: To prevent data breaches, it is important to utilize secure protocols for storing and transmitting sensitive media. Implement cryptographic methods to increase the security of your digital assets.
- Watermark sensitive content: Embedding sensitive content with watermarks makes it easier to identify and track, and thwarts potential manipulation.
- Control access to your social media profiles. Lock access to photos, media, and sensitive content on your social media profiles for more privacy and control.
- Use deepfake detection tools: Employ advanced deepfake detection tools to verify the authenticity of media content. Cross-reference information with trusted sources to ensure the legitimacy of shared content.
- Identify anomalies in content: Always be on the lookout for anomalies, visual or audio artifacts, and irregularities in content that may indicate deepfake manipulation.
- Check the media file’s metadata. Scrutinizes media file metadata for embedded information inconsistencies and anomalies that provide clues to potential manipulation.
- Check the source: Always check sources for provocative and noteworthy content. Anything forwarded without proper attribution to the source may be suspect. be careful.
Implementing these cybersecurity measures will strengthen your defenses against the growing threat of deepfake technology. Stay informed and alert.
The future of deepfake attacks
Rapid advances in AI have made it extremely difficult to predict future patterns of deepfake attacks. As the development of this technology is an ongoing process, the prevalence and complexity of deepfakes is likely to continue to grow. As a result, it becomes easier for malicious actors to generate convincing deepfakes, making them more difficult to detect.
Public-private collaboration is paramount to successfully countering the widespread proliferation of deepfakes. In doing so, we ensure safe online interactions and user trust, and encourage honesty and integrity in broader social engagement. Despite the advent of advanced deepfake detection techniques, the threat of deepfake attacks continues to evolve. Still, it is important to remain alert and flexible to navigate this area of uncertainty.
The author is COO, Senior VP of Distribution and Operations at Nihilent Limited.