The threat actors managed to gain access to Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) by posing as a Ukrainian official, before quickly being outed.
Earlier this month, Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), who serves as the Democratic chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was targeted in an advanced deepfake operation that managed to in part succeed in duping the politician.
"On an individual level, [deepfakes] can lead to blackmail and extortion," says Eyal Benishti, CEO of Ironscales. "For businesses, deepfakes pose risks of significant financial loss, reputational damage, and corporate espionage. On a governmental level, they threaten national security and can undermine the democratic processes" — no doubt referencing a deepfake robocall that was created to impersonate President Joe Biden with the goal of getting Biden supporters to stay home for a lower voter turnout.