A new study reveals how businesses are defending against biometric fraud and AI-generated impersonations
SYDNEY, Australia – 16th September 2024 – Australian companies are ramping up their efforts to counter the latest wave of cyber threats. According to GetApp’s 2024 Executive Cybersecurity Survey, 66% of IT and cybersecurity professionals report their organisations have developed specific measures to defend against deepfake attacks.
The survey, which included responses from 241 Australian IT and cybersecurity professionals, revealed growing concerns around the rise of AI-driven cyberattacks, particularly deepfake impersonations and ID fraud. These attacks, which utilise artificial intelligence (AI) to create hyper-realistic fake images, videos, and voices, have become a major threat to businesses, compromising the effectiveness of biometric authentication and undermining trust in communications.
To mitigate risks and defend against cyberattacks, businesses in Australia have developed measures, including training simulations, network security audits, and investing in deepfake detection tools. However, only 47% of Australian businesses use simulation exercises as a deepfake prevention measure, compared to the global average of 55%.
Besides stating defensive measures, the report highlights the urgency of addressing the new threats. 88% of respondents noted that their companies had increased cybersecurity investments in the past 18 months, outpacing the global average of 77%. The top five security measures implemented across this period, too, were network security improvement (53%), training executives on security topics (49%), and the use of data encryption (48%).
Privacy concerns are a challenge for businesses using biometric authentication
Key findings show that most (97%) of Australian professionals using biometric authentication reported being satisfied with its results despite rising concerns about its vulnerability to AI attacks. Despite being vulnerable to cyberattacks, they can still make up part of a strong defensive strategy, especially as a step of multi-factor authentication (MFA). Multiple secure authentication steps remain vital for going up against potential cybersecurity breaches.
The report shows that Aussie companies implement fingerprint (78%) and facial recognition (68%) biometrics the most, in line with the global averages of 77% and 59% consecutively.
While biometric authentication remains widely used—64% of Australian businesses require it to secure company systems—privacy concerns and the increasing sophistication of AI-generated attacks are pushing companies to reassess their security strategies. Over half (51%) of Australian IT professionals cited privacy concerns as a key challenge when using biometric protections.
Of all countries surveyed, Australians had the highest number of respondents (80%) in companies with biometrics measures worrying about AI’s potential to create synthetic fingerprints, facial images, or voices for ID fraud. Privacy concerns (51%), the potential for identity theft (46%), and protection against biometric data breaches (44%) are the most common challenges for businesses using biometric authentication.
Call for Increased Awareness and Multi-layered Protection
GetApp’s report recommends several low-cost measures to boost cybersecurity and combat growing threats. These include enhancing password policies, enforcing routine updates, and implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) to add layers of protection.
“AI-generated threats like deepfake represent a significant challenge for businesses, especially with the growing reliance on biometrics,” said Andrew Blair, Content Analyst at GetApp.
“However, the data shows that Australian companies are stepping up to the challenge by investing in stronger cybersecurity measures and preparing for the evolving threat of AI-driven impersonation attacks,” Blair continued.
For more recommendations for safeguarding Australian businesses against the ever-evolving cyber threat landscape, please visit www.getapp.com.au.
Key Facts:
- 51% of Australian IT and cybersecurity professionals have privacy concerns and 46% fear potential identity theft from implementing or using biometric protections.
- 97% of Australian IT and cybersecurity professionals are satisfied with biometric authentication results.
- 66% of Australian IT and security professionals say their companies have developed specific measures to defend against AI-generated deepfake attacks.
- 88% of surveyed professionals work in companies that have increased their investments in cybersecurity over the last 18 months.
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