How Scammers Are Using Deepfakes to Manipulate Victims

Wayne Nordstrom is a networks and cybersecurity graduate candidate senior vulnerability risk manager. Among other digital tools that hackers and scammers use, Wayne Nordstrom has researched the impact of emerging technologies, such as deepfakes, on scammer tactics.

Deepfakes are a digital imaging technique that allows anyone, not just computer experts, to use an algorithmic program to superimpose one person’s face onto another person’s body. This can be done in post-editing, such as when producing a video, but it can also be done in real-time for situations like video conferences.

Although the concern that deepfakes were going to be used during the 2019 presidential election to manufacture fake, disparaging videos of presidential candidates never materialized, deepfake technology has already made it possible for criminals to create fraudulent blackmailing material.

One story from The Indian Express tells of a man who spoke with a scammer on a video call, only to collect visual data from the live feed to create a deepfaked video. This video appeared to show the man on a live “sex chat” and was henceforth used to blackmail him and sent to his family and friends when he refused to pay. Cybersecurity experts warn that such stories could become more common as the technology becomes more widespread and easier to use.

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Cyberattacks and Cyberthreats Increase during Pandemic

A graduate of Cape Cod Community College, Wayne Nordstrom holds an associate of science in cybersecurity and penetration testing. Wayne Nordstrom works as a senior vulnerability risk manager at Blue Cross Blue Shield, where he helps the insurance provider defend against cyberattacks.

The coronavirus has made many people move from a typical workplace to an online setting, which opened the door to increased cyberattacks. According to the FBI, since the start of the pandemic, the number of cyberattacks has tripled, and Google reported that it has faced over 18 million phishing attempts in that time.

Most of the cyberattacks in 2020 were motivated by financial gain, with nearly 86 percent of the attackers requesting a ransom. The average cost of a ransomware attack in 2018 was only $5,000; in 2020, this number reached $200,000. This has made companies want to hire or contract with cybersecurity professionals to defend against any potential threats, with more than 500,000 open positions in the United States and over 3 million throughout the world.

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