AI-Generated Impersonator Falsely Represents Rubio, Corresponds with Foreign, Domestic Leaders
In a recent development, the U.S. State Department has issued a warning to its diplomats about potential impersonation of high-level officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, using artificial intelligence (AI) technology. This follows an incident where an "unknown actor" created a fake Signal account impersonating Rubio, contacting government and foreign officials, including foreign ministers, a U.S. governor, and a member of Congress.
The State Department is currently investigating the matter, taking it seriously in safeguarding its information. The Department emphasized that it is continuously enhancing its cybersecurity measures to prevent similar incidents in the future and protect its officials from AI-driven impersonation threats.
The incident came to light when some of those who received calls heard a voice that sounded like Rubio's, which could have been generated by AI, according to The Wall Street Journal. The FBI has also issued a public service announcement about a "malicious" campaign relying on text messages and AI-generated voice messages that aim to deceive government officials and contacts.
The hoaxes involving Rubio were unsuccessful and "not very sophisticated." However, the quality of deepfakes is increasing, making it harder for humans to spot them. This surge in the creation of deepfakes portraying celebrities, politicians, and business leaders is a growing concern, as the AI technology improves.
Professor Siwei Lyu, a computer scientist at the University at Buffalo, stated that there's an "arms race" between those creating deepfakes and those developing AI systems to spot them. Several solutions have been proposed to combat the growing misuse of AI for deception, such as criminal penalties and improved media literacy.
This is not the first time a high-level Trump administration figure has been targeted by an impersonator. Previously, President Donald Trump's chief of staff was also a victim of a similar incident in May. The recipients of the scam messages were not identified in the cable.
The warning came after an impostor posing as Rubio attempted to contact at least three foreign ministers, a U.S. senator, and a governor. In May, text messages and phone calls were sent to elected officials, business executives, and prominent figures from someone who seemed to have gained access to Rubio's personal cellphone contacts. However, the messages and calls were not coming from Rubio's number.
The State Department deemed it "prudent" to advise all employees and foreign governments due to increasing efforts by foreign actors to compromise information security. The government is currently investigating these incidents, and it is likely that the misuse of AI to deceive people will grow as the technology improves and becomes more widely available.
The State Department is exploring the incident involving potential AI-driven impersonation of Secretary of State Marco Rubio and is actively enhancing its cybersecurity measures to prevents similar occurrences, ensuring the protection of its officials and data using advanced technology.
Besides the State Department, the FBI has also issued a public service announcement about a malicious campaign, relying on text messages and AI-generated voice messages, designed to trick government officials and contacts.
