AI Clone Wars: Revenge of the 5th!

Real-Life Scenario:

“Not so long ago, in a galaxy not so far away…” 

It started as a typical prospect call scheduled through my Calendly app. Someone had filled out a contact form on our website and opted to set up a conversation with me. As someone in sales, naturally eager for conversations that might uncover a new opportunity, I joined like I normally would. Instead of my expected contact, however, I was greeted by silence—and a single attendee labeled ominously as an “AI Call Recorder.” I spoke, asking them to unmute, but got no reply. After leaving and rejoining moments later, the recorder was still there, silently waiting. 

My curiosity quickly shifted to unease. Was this just a glitch? Or was something more sinister underway? 

How GLS Responded 

Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, I took immediate action and contacted my Security Team. Here’s what our team did: 

• The incident was immediately reported and documented internally. 

• Precautionary security scans and system checks were initiated to rule out further compromise. 

• An internal communication detailing the scenario was circulated, clearly outlining the threat and recommended actions. 

But we didn’t stop there. GLS proactively leveraged our own training solutions: 

• We assigned one of our short modules on avoiding AI phishing attacks, providing practical guidance on spotting, reporting, and preventing these sophisticated threats. 

• We also actively engaged our teams with a game GLS recently developed on the same topic, reinforcing these critical lessons in an interactive, memorable way. 

Understanding the Threat: AI Voice Cloning 

We often talk about phishing emails and malware, but there’s a newer, subtler threat emerging—AI voice cloning. Attackers are now harvesting voice samples from publicly accessible sources (videos, calls, webinars) and using artificial intelligence to create convincing deepfake audio. Why? Because nothing builds trust quicker than hearing a familiar voice. 

One example immediately comes to mind—and it happened in 2019, so you can imagine how advanced this threat has become since then. In this instance, criminals successfully cloned the voice of a CEO from a large German company. Using their sophisticated AI-generated impersonation, they convinced the CEO of the company’s UK subsidiary to immediately transfer approximately $243,000 to a fraudulent account. The cloned voice used in the attack was so realistic, even that seasoned executive was fooled. 

We’ve seen similar tactics where attackers coopt the branding and logos of legitimate companies to lend credibility to their scams, as highlighted recently in a LinkedIn post discussing fake job offers. 

Special Message & Actionable Tips for Sales and Security Teams 

Salespeople, this directly impacts us. We’re naturally communicative, frequently engaging publicly through calls, webinars, and social media. That makes us especially attractive targets for voice cloning scams. 

Here’s how we can defend ourselves: 

• Always verify unexpected meetings or requests through a separate, trusted communication channel. 

• Avoid extensive verbal identification in unfamiliar or suspicious calls. 

• Be cautious about posting or publicly sharing extensive audio/video recordings. 

• Review your calendar settings to prevent automatically accepting invites from unknown senders. 

Security teams, your role is crucial in empowering sales teams to stay vigilant: 

• Regularly communicate relatable, real-world threat scenarios. 

• Encourage proactive and fearless reporting of suspicious activities. 

• Continuously refresh and reinforce training, making it engaging and relevant. 

Conclusion  

The AI-driven threat landscape is rapidly evolving. Staying ahead requires vigilance, awareness, and continuous education. 

We encourage you and your teams—particularly those in sales and security—to take advantage of GLS’s specialized resources. Drop us a comment if you would like to: 

• Explore our Avoiding AI Phishing Attacks module for targeted strategies to keep your teams safe. 

• Experience our Avoiding AI Phishing Attacks game to turn cybersecurity awareness into engaging, memorable, actionable insights. 

Stay alert, stay vigilant, and may the cybersecurity force be with you! 

#CyberSecurity #VoiceCloning #CyberTraining #CloneWars