What is a deepfake?

 A deepfake is an image, video, or audio clip that has been created or edited with artificial intelligence (AI) to make it look like a person is doing or saying something, when in fact it is not a real person.  

The most common use of a deepfake is for fraudulent activities, such as impersonating an important person in the university to convince a university employee to do something that benefits the impersonator such as financial gain or identity theft.

Understanding deepfakes is an essential step in combating the spread of deceptive content and safeguarding against potential risks.

How can you spot a deepfake?

Deepfakes are getting more sophisticated. There isn’t a single way to spot a deepfake, but there are some common characteristics you can look for:

• Unnatural Facial Expressions or Movements:
  Deepfakes may show unnatural movements in the face or body of the person in the video.

• Inconsistent Audio:
  The audio may not sync perfectly with the mouth, or there may be inconsistency between the voice and their movement.

• Urgent Request:
  The person is making an urgent or high-pressure request that is outside of normal business processes.
  
  
• Leadership Impersonation:
  The person making the request is in a high-level leadership position, such as a Vice President or Dean.

What to do if you suspect a deepfake?

If you suspect you are interacting with a deepfake instead of a real person, the best defense is verification. Before sending money or sharing details, stop the call and contact the person using contact information you know and trust, such as from the university directory. Do not use a phone number or email address provided to you during the interaction.

Report the interaction to UHS Information Security at 832-842-4695 or https://infosec.uhsystem.edu.