The Rise of Deepfake Technology as an Enterprise Threat
Deepfake technology has evolved from a potentially disturbing AI capability into a powerful and dangerous tool for cybercriminals—one that exploits the most fundamental element of business communication: trust. What was once considered a technological novelty has rapidly become a legitimate enterprise-level threat that organizations of all sizes must take seriously.
A comprehensive new report from Info-Tech Research Group, titled "Defend Against Deepfake Cyberattacks," provides critical insights into understanding and assessing the risk deepfakes pose to modern organizations. Among the contributors to this essential research were Acronis experts Oleg Ishanov, Director of Threat Research, and Gerald Beuchelt, Chief Information Security Officer.
The key takeaways from this report should serve as a stark warning: every organization needs to develop a structured defense against deepfake cyberattacks—and they need to do it now.
The Deepfake Problem is Fundamentally a Trust Problem
The report makes one point particularly clear: deepfakes represent a human challenge more than they are a technical challenge. Attackers have mastered the art of impersonating executives, colleagues, and trusted vendors through AI-generated threats, including audio, video, and text. These sophisticated attacks often bypass traditional security controls and prey on human vulnerability.
Some eye-opening statistics from the Info-Tech research include:
- Nearly 49% of global businesses have already encountered deepfake scams
- It can take as little as 10 seconds of audio to convincingly clone someone's voice
- Only about 30% of organizations fully understand the deepfake threat landscape
This combination of ease, speed, and believability gives attackers a significant advantage. In this new threat environment, employees have become the last line of defense—which means they need proper preparation and training.
Deepfake Attacks: More Common and Costly Than You Think
Info-Tech's research highlights that deepfakes have moved far beyond experimental fraud. They have become a multimillion-dollar threat vector with devastating financial consequences:
- Global deepfake-related losses exceeded $200 million in Q1 2025 alone
- The average cost of a deepfake voice scam is $600,000, with notable cases exceeding $25 million
- Deepfakes now account for 6.5% of all fraud attempts worldwide
Crucially, these attacks aren't limited to high-profile targets or Fortune 500 companies. Because deepfake tools are widely accessible and require minimal technical skill to deploy, attackers can effectively target mid-market and smaller organizations that may lack sophisticated security defenses.
People and Processes Matter Most in Deepfake Defense
One of the most important themes in the report is that technology alone cannot serve as the sole defense strategy against deepfakes. While detection tools exist, they can be inconsistent and are often reactive rather than proactive. Deepfakes can evolve too quickly for automated tools to keep pace, creating dangerous security gaps.
Info-Tech emphasizes a comprehensive three-pillar defense strategy:
Pillar 1: People
Employees must be trained to recognize deepfake red flags, including:
- Unusual urgency or pressure tactics
- Communication from unfamiliar numbers or accounts
- Inconsistencies in tone, phrasing, or communication patterns
- Unexpected requests for secrecy or confidentiality
- Requests that bypass normal approval processes
A Ferrari case study highlighted in the report perfectly illustrates this principle: only a well-trained executive who recognized suspicious elements prevented what could have been a costly scam.
Pillar 2: Process
Verification protocols should become routine practice, including:
- Secondary confirmations through different communication channels
- Established code phrases for sensitive transactions
- Out-of-band verification checks
- Zero-trust principles extended beyond systems to communications
- Multi-person approval requirements for significant requests
Pillar 3: Technology
Technological tools should support human vigilance rather than replace it. These tools should:
- Flag anomalies in communication patterns
- Introduce multiple layers of defense
- Provide detection capabilities for known deepfake techniques
- Generate alerts for unusual requests or behaviors
However, organizations must avoid overreliance on technology alone, as deepfake techniques continue to evolve and improve.
How to Assess and Prioritize Deepfake Risks
To help organizations operationalize deepfake defense, Info-Tech offers a comprehensive deepfake threat assessment tool designed to guide security leaders through identifying vulnerabilities, evaluating existing controls, and prioritizing risk mitigation efforts.
The framework includes three major steps:
Step 1: Identify Likely Deepfake Scenarios
Using Info-Tech's research-based list of 20 documented threat scenarios, organizations can pinpoint the specific tactics attackers are most likely to use against them based on their industry, size, and operational characteristics.
Step 2: Assess Organizational Risk Factors
A structured questionnaire enables organizations to determine their current preparedness across multiple dimensions:
- Employee training and awareness levels
- Communication workflow security
- Authentication practices and protocols
- Incident response capabilities
- Technology controls and monitoring
Step 3: Prioritize Scenarios by Likelihood and Impact
Organizations can model which scenarios pose the greatest operational, financial, or reputational risk and allocate resources accordingly. This methodology helps eliminate guesswork and transforms subjective fears into objective, measurable risks that can be addressed systematically.
Building Organizational Resilience Against Deepfakes
Beyond initial assessment, the report outlines a full lifecycle approach to strengthening organizational resilience:
Employee Training Programs
Implement comprehensive training focused on verification behaviors, including:
- Regular awareness sessions about evolving deepfake techniques
- Simulated deepfake scenarios for hands-on practice
- Clear escalation procedures when suspicious communications are detected
- Regular refresher training to maintain awareness
Deepfake-Specific Incident Response Runbooks
Develop and integrate specialized runbooks into crisis communications and fraud prevention workflows:
- Step-by-step procedures for responding to suspected deepfake attacks
- Communication templates for internal and external stakeholders
- Evidence preservation protocols
- Coordination with law enforcement and cybersecurity teams
Tabletop Exercises
Design and conduct realistic exercises to simulate deepfake attacks and test organizational readiness:
- Executive impersonation scenarios
- Vendor fraud simulations
- Social engineering attack chains
- Multi-vector attack scenarios
The Strategic Imperative
The overarching message from the Info-Tech research is clear and unambiguous: preparing for deepfake threats is not optional—it is a strategic necessity for every organization operating in today's digital landscape.
As AI technology continues to advance, deepfake techniques will only become more sophisticated and harder to detect. Organizations that invest in comprehensive deepfake defense strategies now will be far better positioned to protect themselves, their employees, and their stakeholders from this rapidly evolving threat.
Taking Action: Next Steps
Organizations serious about defending against deepfake cyberattacks should:
- Assess current vulnerability to deepfake attacks using structured frameworks
- Implement the three-pillar defense strategy combining people, processes, and technology
- Develop comprehensive training programs for all employees, especially those in high-risk roles
- Establish verification protocols for sensitive communications and transactions
- Create incident response plans specifically designed for deepfake scenarios
- Conduct regular testing through tabletop exercises and simulated attacks
- Monitor the evolving threat landscape to stay informed about new deepfake techniques
Source: This article is based on the Info-Tech Research Group report "Defend Against Deepfake Cyberattacks" featuring insights from Acronis cybersecurity experts