KnowBe4 deepfake video — Oct 2026
Security awareness training firm KnowBe4 was compromised after unknowingly hiring a deepfake candidate for a software engineer position
- Reported date
- Oct 22, 2026
- Target
- KnowBe4
The exact incident date was not established. This entry is dated by its source report.
KnowBe4, a company specializing in security awareness training, recently fell victim to an infiltration when it unknowingly hired a deepfake candidate for a software engineer role. The incident highlights the growing prevalence of fraudulent applicants using AI-generated personas to bypass traditional hiring and onboarding security measures.
What happened
The infiltration occurred when a job applicant successfully navigated the hiring process by utilizing a deepfake persona. The candidate was hired as a software engineer, effectively gaining access to the company's internal systems. This event serves as a stark example of the risks posed by sophisticated identity fraud in remote hiring environments, where candidates can leverage AI to generate images or videos that appear legitimate to recruiters and hiring managers. Following the discovery of the deception, experts advise that such incidents should be treated as significant security threats, requiring immediate revocation of system access, a thorough audit of the individual's activity, and a comprehensive assessment of the security impact radius.