eepfakes and synthetic media artefacts are no longer just internet experiments. They currently pose serious cybersecurity threats across the globe. While we enjoy technological advancements, we must be alert to the risks that come with it. Deepfakes are now capable of bypassing some biometric authentication, deceiving employees in corporate settings and even executing social engineering attacks with unprecedented precision.
Although there is improvement in deepfake detection tools, these tools can no longer keep pace with the fast advancement of Generative AI. This problem requires that cybersecurity is not just concerned with detecting deepfakes but prioritising resilience against them.
Understanding the Rise of Deepfake-Driven Attacks
Deepfakes refers to hyper-realistic media—videos, audio, images—created by deep learning algorithms, especially Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs). They mimic real people’s appearance and voices with alarming accuracy. This technology has over the years facilitated cybercrimes.
Common Deepfake Cyberattack Techniques:
● CEO Fraud via Video/Voice: Attackers impersonate executives to authorize fraudulent financial transactions.
● Synthetic Identity Fraud: Faked identities are used to apply for loans, open bank accounts, or pass Know-Your-Customer (KYC) checks.
● Real-Time Video Impersonation: Deepfake technology is now capable of simulating live video and audio in meetings.
Real-World Examples and Scenarios
1. In 2024, a poll carried out bt Deloitte, recorded about 25.9% of executives who had experienced one of more deepfakes incidents, primarily taretted at fiancian and accounting data.
2. Deepfake “Elon Musk”: The Internet’s Biggest Scammer: In 2024, there were viral videos of AI-powered videos posing as a genuine footage of Elonmusk. The New York Times furing this period, reported that one Steve Beauchamp, an 82 -year-old retiree used all his retirement fund and invested USD $690,000 over the scam video of Elon Musk, believing it was real. His money vanished without a trace.
3. Deepfake Robocall of President Joe Biden: In this case, there were Ai-generated robocall impersonating Joe Biden and encouraging the masses not to vote the New Hamsphire Democratic Primaries.
4. Deepfake Audio of a School Principal, which sparks death threats in Maryland, in USA: BBC reported a case of an Ai-manipulated audio clip, in which a school principal was heard making derogatory and racist remarks online. This video went viral, that one version of the clip made almost two million views within hours of being published.
These attacks and many others prove that deepfakes are not theoretical—they are already being weaponized in high-stakes environments.
Why DeepAi Detection Tools Are Struggling to Keep Up
DeepAi detection tools are struggling to keep up with the rapid development of Deepfake tools, as new AI systems can now create very realistic-looking photos, videos and voices, that are hard to tell apart from the real ones. Tools such as StyleGan and DALL.E are a good example.
As a result, many detection tools sometimes fail to detect if the subject in question is fake or not, especially when the deepfakes use highly sophisticated models. Also, most of these tools work after the fake content has already been shared, which makes it hard to stop the damage in time.
The people who make deepfakes are also getting smarter. They learn how the detection tools work and then change their methods to avoid getting caught. This means detection tools are always trying to catch up, and often they fall behind. Because of this, companies and organizations can’t just depend on detection tools. They need to prepare ahead of time with better ways to confirm real content, teach their employees how to identify deepfakes and have a plan for what to do when a deepfake causes harm.
What Does Cyber Resilience Mean in the Age of Deepfakes?
Cyber resilience is the ability of an organization to prepare for, respond to, and recover from cyber incidents while continuing operation. In the context of deepfakes, resilience refers to:
● Proactively anticipating deepfake threats.
● Building systems that don’t solely rely on visual or auditory identity verification.
● Rapidly identifying and mitigating impacts when a deepfake attack occurs.
It’s a strategic shift aimed at blocking, withstanding and bouncing back from deepfake attacks.
Key Strategies for Deepfake Resistance
A. Zero Trust Identity Management
● Adopt a zero-trust security architecture where every identity and request is verified continuously.
● Use contextual verification: location, time, and behavioural patterns.
● Avoid approving sensitive transactions based on video/voice alone.
B. Multi-Layered Verification Mechanisms
● Combine MFA with biometric analysis and behavioural authentication.
● Include liveness detection in biometric systems to detect if a face is live or a recording.
● Use retina or vein authentication, which is nearly impossible to clone.
C. Real-Time Anomaly Detection
● Deploy AI-driven behavioural analytics to flag anomalies in usage patterns, access requests, or communication tone.
● Monitor changes in voice tone, speech pattern or typing behaviour to detect synthetic activity.
D. Deepfake-Specific Incident Response
● Create deepfake-specific response handbooks/guidelines.
● Develop crisis protocols to authenticate executives or employees when their identities are in question.
● Train cybersecurity teams to treat deepfake incidents with maximum urgency.
Building a Deepfake-Aware Culture
Fighting deepfakes requires more than just advanced technology—it demands a culture where everyone is alert and informed. People are often the easiest targets, so building a deepfake-aware culture is essential. Organizations should be more intentional with employee training that includes simulations and real-world examples to help staff recognize manipulated content. It should also become normal practice to verify sensitive or unusual requests through a second channel, like a phone call or in-person check. Leaders must set an example by verifying identities and not blindly trusting digital messages or video calls. These habits, when practised regularly, can significantly reduce the risk of falling for deepfake scams.
Additionally, technical defences must be in place to support the deepfake awareness culture. Tools like digital watermarking and source tracking (such as Adobe’s Content Authenticity Initiative) help verify where content comes from. AI-based detection services from companies like Microsoft, Sensity AI, Grok or Deepware add extra layers of protection. Some organizations are exploring blockchain to store video and audio metadata securely, making it easier to confirm their authenticity later.
In high-risk sectors—like finance, healthcare, government, and education—specific attacks like fake authorizations, false health records, and election fraud are real concerns. No single group can tackle these issues alone. That’s why arm of the society should collectively be responsible by sharing threat information, forming public-private partnerships, and pushing for laws that require deepfakes to be labelled or watermarked. Together, through collaboration and smarter policies, we can build a stronger defence against this growing threat.
Conclusion
We are currently in the age of synthetic deception and we should expect more development in this kind of technology. Though deepfakes and their operators will get faster, smarter and harder to detect, this offers an opportunity to reconsider a shift in the traditional concept of cybersecurity, lending towards a more adaptive approach.
By going beyond detection and investing in deepfake resilience, organizations can prepare for an uncertain future with confidence. The goal is not just to eliminate everything fake but to ensure that even if one slips through, it won’t bring everything down.
Written and published by Nkiru Ali Suleiman
