March 14, 2024
When it comes to digital media, seeing is no longer believing. Using “deepfake” technologies, it is now possible to convincingly mimic another person’s appearance and voice in real time. Cybercriminals are taking advantage of this new capability to target large institutions for financial gain.
Organizations have reported incidents where executives are deepfaked in live Zoom meetings, leading to a request to transfer funds. To help protect Harvard against similar attempts, below are some tips to identify and report deepfakes.
What to watch for:
- Unusual phone calls or videos appearing to come from trusted colleagues or senior executives leading to a financial transaction request.
- Unexpected requests to make a purchase, a funds transfer, or an update to accounts payable information.
- A sense of urgency or secrecy in the request.
What to do:
- If in doubt, stop and consult with others before proceeding.
- Verify the request by contacting the purported requester independently using a separate, trusted, pre-established communication channel, where you initiate the conversation.
- Report any suspected deepfake fraud attempts to the Information Security and Data Privacy (ISDP) Office.
Thank you for your vigilance and for helping to keep Harvard safe and secure. If you have questions, please contact your PrivSec Officer.