Deepfake impersonator of Ukrainian official targets U.S. senator in fake Zoom call

The New York Times writes about this.

A "deepfake" impersonator fooled Senator Benjamin L. Cardin into a videoconference by pretending to be Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s former foreign minister. The call, described by Senate security officials, has heightened worries that such technology could be used to influence U.S. politics or extract sensitive information.

The impersonator raised suspicions by asking unusual, politically charged questions, such as Cardin’s stance on firing long-range missiles into Russian territory. The senator ended the call and alerted the State Department, who confirmed it was a deepfake.

Cardin confirmed the deception, saying, "A malign actor engaged in a deceptive attempt to have a conversation with me by posing as a known individual." He didn’t specifically name Kuleba or reference Ukraine.

Deepfake technology uses AI to create realistic videos of fictitious or impersonated figures. The incident has reignited concerns that foreign actors, particularly Russia, may use such tools to influence U.S. elections.

While the orchestrator behind the deepfake remains unknown, Russia has been flagged as a leading user of deepfake technology for disinformation campaigns. Senate officials warned lawmakers to stay cautious, as more sophisticated attempts are expected.

"This attempt stands out due to its technical sophistication and believability," the Senate’s security office noted.