FBI warns senior US officials are being impersonated using texts, AI-based voice cloning -…

The FBI issued a warning about a campaign where malicious actors impersonate senior U.S. officials. The attackers use AI-generated voice messages and malicious text messages to target current and former federal and state officials, as well as their contacts.

What happened

The messages aim to build rapport, potentially leading individuals to grant access to personal accounts. These social engineering tactics can then be exploited to reach more contacts and gain access to further information or funds. The campaign utilizes smishing (malicious SMS texts) and vishing (malicious voice memos, often AI-generated). Publicly available audio can be used to create convincing voice clones, and threat actors are using these tools to realistically impersonate public figures. The use of AI-based voice cloning surged in the past year.