Audio deepfakes: how to protect yourself from voice deception

Voice deepfake technologies are advancing faster than detection technologies. While some companies are developing tools to protect against them, others are creating even more advanced voice synthesis models. However, there are several ways to reduce the risks and avoid becoming a victim of a voice deepfake.

  • The main rule is to think critically.

In the era of AI, trusting only your ears is dangerous. It is important to verify information and never make hasty decisions based on a single voice message or call.

  • Two-factor verification of the interlocutor.

If you receive a call with an unusual request, even if the voice seems familiar, try checking the information through another communication channel.

For example, if a “close person” calls you and asks for money, try writing him a message and clarifying whether it is really him.

  • Use code words.

Agree with your family, friends and colleagues on a special phrase that only you know. If the person you are talking to does not know it, then you are dealing with a fraudster. You can also ask the “voice on the phone” a tricky question that only a live person can answer.

  • Be careful with audio recordings on the Internet.

The more recordings of your voice are publicly available, the easier it is to create a deepfake.

Technology vs. Technology

Of course, there are technical solutions. Some companies are already developing algorithms to detect audio deepfakes. Such systems can detect unnatural pauses, changes in intonation, and repeating patterns of speech that are typical of synthesized speech. However, even the most advanced technologies do not yet provide 100% results.

Companies that work with sensitive data are already introducing two-factor authentication for calls and voice assistants. This means that one voice is not enough to confirm identity – an additional method of identification is required, such as entering a password or using a unique phrase.

In response to the growing threat of deepfakes, some countries have begun to develop laws against voice forgeries. For example, China and the United States have already passed laws requiring synthesized audio recordings to be labeled and making it a crime to create fake voices without the owner’s consent.

Some companies, like OpenAI and Google, are also restricting access to AI voice models to prevent them from being used for criminal purposes. But the reality is that there are already a ton of open-source tools available online that allow anyone to create a deepfake voice.

Technologies are developing, and the further, the more difficult it will be to distinguish reality from fake. The only way to protect yourself is to combine critical thinking, technical solutions and new forms of personal identification.

We must understand that the world has already changed, and trusting only the voice is no longer possible. While technologies change, our common sense and critical thinking remain the best defense.