Did you receive a call from your CEO requesting an urgent transfer… only to find it was a deepfake? Deepfakes have evolved from a technological curiosity to a tool for mass attacks: By 2025, many organizations have reported attempts at impersonation using AI. In this article, we explore how these hyperrealistic fakes are transforming the threat landscape and why your company needs to prepare today.
What are deepfakes, and why are they so dangerous?
Deepfakes are multimedia content (videos, audio, or images) synthesized using artificial intelligence that impersonate a real person’s appearance or voice with astonishing accuracy. Their danger lies in three key characteristics:
- Realism: 90% of people cannot distinguish an advanced deepfake from real content.
- Scalability: An attacker can generate hundreds of deepfakes simultaneously
- Accessibility: Tools such as DeepFaceLab and Wav2Lip are available for free
Consequences of being unprepared
Organizations without adequate protection face:
- Direct financial losses: Fraudulent transfers, extortion, and ransom demands
- Irreversible reputational damage: The vast majority of customers lose trust after an incident
- Legal liability: Penalties for violating certifications when data is compromised
- Operational paralysis: Average recovery time: 3–4 weeks
Effective protection strategies
Defense against deepfakes requires a multi-layered approach:
Training and awareness
- Train teams to detect subtle anomalies (irregular blinking, lip synchronization)
- Establish verification protocols for sensitive transactions
Specialized technical solutions
- Detection tools such as Microsoft Video Authenticator or Truepic
- Metadata and fingerprint analysis in multimedia files
- Digital watermarking authentication systems
Clear organizational policies
- Immediate response protocols for potential deepfakes
- Alternative verification channels for critical authorizations
- Strict limits on unplanned transfers
The future of deepfakes and cybersecurity
By 2026, it is projected that 85% of internet content could be synthetic. Advances in generative AI will make deepfakes:
- Undetectable to the human eye without specialized tools
- Generated in real time for two-way conversations
- Hyper-personalized using social media information
You might be interested in: Social engineering: The new AI-driven threat
Conclusion: The truth is no longer evident
Deepfakes represent a turning point in cybersecurity: audiovisual evidence is no longer conclusive proof. Companies that underestimate this threat will face devastating consequences, while those that implement proactive strategies will turn digital resilience into a competitive advantage. The critical question is no longer “Can it happen to us?” but “Are we prepared when it happens?”
Can your organization distinguish reality from fiction in the age of deepfakes?
