Cybersecurity experts are warning that information people share on social media could be used by criminals to build profiles of their potential victims and to launch targeted attacks.
Expert Andrew Brown was speaking at the Cybersafety for All seminar in Windhoek yesterday, where he warned that people can no longer assume that a familiar face, voice or message is proof they are communicating with the right person.
He said artificial intelligence (AI) can be used for real-time face swapping, allowing criminals to impersonate people during video calls.
“You might think you’re on a video call with me, but it’s not me,” Brown said.
He also warned against assuming that content shared using ‘view once’ features is completely private.
Even when screenshots are restricted, someone could use another device to photograph content, meaning users should carefully consider what they send online. Information security and cybersecurity specialist Sheldon Shava at the event said criminals can collect information from social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram and use it to build profiles of specific people.
“You create a profile, then that profile will be used against you,” he said. Shava said this is called ‘hyper-personal’ phishing, involving that criminals use information about a particular person to make an attack appear more genuine and convincing.
He urged people to limit the amount of personal information they make available online and to verify unusual requests before taking action. Shava urged organisations to regularly test their systems, address weaknesses and use technology to strengthen their cybersecurity.
Information security and cybersecurity graduate Tafadzwa Mhuriyengwe warned that AI is making online scams harder to identify.
Mhuriyengwe said scammers can use AI to create convincing emails and messages that appear calm, professional and authentic.
She urged people not to rely only on how well written or convincing a message appears, stressing that verification is necessary before responding.
