As AI technology advances, cybersecurity experts now recommend creating secret codes with loved ones to protect against sophisticated impersonation scams that can fool even the most careful individuals.

At a Glance

• Cybersecurity expert Cody Barrow advises families to establish secret passwords to verify identities during calls and messages
• AI-powered deepfakes and sophisticated phishing attacks have made traditional security measures less effective
• Seniors and children are particularly vulnerable to these new AI-enhanced scams
• Recent data breaches have exposed personal information, making additional security layers necessary
• Experts predict secret verification codes will become standard practice as AI threats evolve

The Rising Threat of AI Impersonation

Cybersecurity professionals are sounding the alarm about a new digital threat requiring old-fashioned solutions. Cody Barrow, CEO of cybersecurity firm EclecticIQ, is recommending that families and close friends establish secret passwords or codes to protect against increasingly sophisticated AI impersonation scams.

These verification systems would help distinguish genuine communications from artificially generated deepfakes designed to trick people into sharing sensitive information or sending money to criminals. The advancement of AI technology has dramatically lowered barriers for cybercriminals to create convincing voice clones and video deepfakes of trusted individuals.

Barrow and his wife have already implemented this practice during their video calls, using a simple code phrase to verify each other’s identity. This additional security step might seem excessive today, but experts suggest it will soon become commonplace as more people fall victim to these advanced scams.

The technology to create realistic deepfakes has improved dramatically, with AI tools now capable of mimicking voices after analyzing just a few seconds of audio, and generating convincing video impersonations from publicly available photographs and videos.

Why Traditional Security Measures Fall Short

Standard cybersecurity practices like strong passwords and two-factor authentication are no longer sufficient protection against today’s sophisticated threats. Recent cyber attacks targeting major UK retailers have demonstrated how criminals can bypass even these security measures by exploiting human error and predictable security setups.

Barrow warns that cybercriminals have become adept at manipulating familiar security procedures, creating convincing scenarios that trick victims into providing access codes or clicking malicious links. This vulnerability is compounded by numerous data breaches that have exposed personal details of millions of Americans.

The situation is particularly concerning for vulnerable groups like seniors, who may be less familiar with evolving digital threats, and children, who typically have less skepticism when communicating online. Many older Americans have had email accounts for decades that have been compromised in various data breaches, giving criminals access to significant personal information that can be used to make scams more believable. This combination of personal data and AI technology creates a perfect storm for convincing impersonation attacks.

Implementing Family Security Codes

Barrow recommends developing simple but effective verification systems that can be easily remembered but would be unknown to outsiders. These could include personal questions with answers not available on social media, code phrases that sound natural in conversation, or visual signals during video calls that would be difficult for AI to replicate. Families should establish protocols for situations where money requests might occur, such as requiring in-person verification or calls to multiple family members before taking action on urgent financial requests.

While this approach might initially seem like an overreaction, cybersecurity experts anticipate that within the next two years, such measures will become standard practice as AI-powered scams become more prevalent. The best protection combines traditional digital security practices with these new verification methods. Experts also recommend maintaining healthy skepticism about unexpected requests, especially those involving financial transactions or personal information, even when they appear to come from trusted sources.