How Can Deepfake Technology Be Used for Social Engineering Attacks?

In recent years, deepfake technology has emerged as one of the most fascinating and, at the same time, concerning advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). A deepfake is a synthetic media in which a person in an existing image or video is replaced with someone else’s likeness. While deepfakes can be used for entertainment and educational purposes, the darker side of this technology lies in its potential for misuse. One of the areas where deepfakes are becoming particularly worrisome is in social engineering attacks — where manipulation is employed to trick individuals into divulging confidential information or performing actions that compromise security.

This blog delves into how deepfake technology works, how it can be weaponized for social engineering attacks, and the broader implications for personal privacy, business security, and societal trust.

Understanding Deepfake Technology

What Are Deepfakes?

A deepfake is a type of AI-generated content that manipulates an existing piece of media (video, audio, or images) to make it appear as though someone is saying or doing something they never did. The term “deepfake” combines “deep learning” and “fake” because the technology relies on machine learning techniques to…