Cybersecurity threats are advancing faster than ever, and even the CEOs of security firms aren’t exempt. TechCrunch recently reported that Wiz, a cloud security startup valued at $12 billion, faced an unsettling deepfake attack. Speaking at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco, Wiz’s CEO Assaf Rappaport shared that hackers impersonated him in a deepfake voice message, sent to dozens of his employees, in an attempt to steal their credentials. This incident further highlights the growing sophistication of deepfakes.
The attack occurred few weeks ago when Wiz employees received voice messages claiming to be from Rappaport, urging them to reveal login credentials. Using audio snippets from a public speech, the attackers constructed a convincing deepfake of Rappaport’s voice. Fortunately, the attempt failed due to a subtle detail: Rappaport’s public speaking tone sounded different from his day-to-day voice, raising suspicion among employees.
Rappaport, known to have public speaking anxiety, explained that his speech patterns during presentations differ noticeably from his everyday conversations. This discrepancy ultimately saved Wiz from a potential data breach.
The Wiz incident is a stark reminder for organizations to stay vigilant. Small details, such as recognizing the tone and mannerisms of a voice, can play a critical role in preventing deepfake scams.
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