Deepfakes and Cybersecurity: What Every UK Business Needs to Know 🤖🔒
- Alex Hughes
- Sep 12
- 2 min read
“Don’t believe everything you see” has never been more relevant. Deepfakes — AI-generated audio, video, and images designed to mimic real people — are no longer just a quirky internet trend. They’ve become a serious weapon in the cybercriminal toolkit.
From impersonating CEOs to tricking staff into transferring funds, deepfake attacks are testing the limits of what businesses can trust. At IT Desk, we’re helping organisations understand and defend against this growing threat.
What Are Deepfakes? 🎭
Deepfakes use artificial intelligence to create hyper-realistic video or audio of a person saying or doing something they never actually did.
Video deepfakes: Fake video calls where attackers impersonate your boss or client.
Audio deepfakes: Synthetic voice recordings giving fraudulent instructions.
Image deepfakes: Fake profile pictures or IDs to support phishing campaigns.
The technology is advancing rapidly — and it’s now cheap and easy to access.
Case Study: The Arup Scam
To illustrate just how damaging deepfakes can be, let’s look at a high-profile case.
In 2024, engineering consultancy Arup lost $25 million after cybercriminals used a deepfake video call to impersonate senior executives. An employee received what appeared to be legitimate instructions during a group call — with fake CFOs and colleagues looking and sounding real. Over 15 separate transfers, the money was gone.
This wasn’t a phishing email or a spoofed domain. It was a live deepfake attack that exploited human trust in faces and voices.
👉 The lesson? Even highly cautious staff can be manipulated when technology blurs the line between truth and fabrication.
Why Deepfake Cyberattacks Work 🧠⚡
Deepfakes succeed because they exploit both technology gaps and human psychology:
Authority bias: When “leaders” give orders, employees comply.
Visual/audio trust: Humans are wired to believe what we see and hear.
Real-time deception: Video calls create urgency, reducing time to question.
AI accessibility: Tools are widely available — attackers don’t need to be geniuses.
Protecting Your Business Against Deepfakes 🛡️
There’s no silver bullet, but businesses can build resilience with layered defences:
Verification Protocols 🔄
Always confirm unusual requests through a second channel (e.g. phone, in-person).
Make it policy, not personal discretion.
Financial Controls 💼
Require multi-person sign-off for high-value transactions.
Restrict who has authority to move money.
Awareness & Training 🎓
Educate staff on deepfake risks with real-world examples.
Run phishing and impersonation simulations.
Technology Tools 🖥️
Explore solutions that detect manipulated audio/video.
Monitor for unusual communication behaviours.
Leadership Culture 👨💼👩💼
Executives must model verification habits.
A culture of “trust but verify” is essential.
Looking Ahead 🌍
The Arup case was one of the first big warnings, but it won’t be the last. Deepfake fraud is expected to increase as tools become more advanced and widely used.
For UK businesses, the stakes are high: financial loss, reputational damage, and regulatory scrutiny. The best defence is to stay informed, train your people, and adopt layered security.
Final Thoughts
Deepfakes show us that cybersecurity is no longer just about firewalls and antivirus. It’s about protecting against AI-driven deception that can bypass even the most cautious employee.
At IT Desk, we help businesses build that resilience with the right mix of training, strategy, and technology. Want to see how your organisation would stand up to a deepfake attack? Let’s talk.
