Cybersecurity firm Ensign introduces deepfake detection tool for conferencing platforms and apps

SINGAPORE – Much like antivirus software, deepfake detectors can be installed on your computer to flag videos that are likely to have been manipulated by artificial intelligence (AI).

Singaporean cybersecurity firm Ensign InfoSecurity, which has more than 800 clients in at least 20 countries, has developed a tool that warns users in real time about deepfakes being used on videoconferencing platforms or hosted on other platforms.

Ensign was established in 2018 as part of a joint venture between Temasek and StarHub to provide tailored cybersecurity services to enterprises and governments worldwide.

Aletheia, as Ensign InfoSecurity’s new solution is called, is named after the Greek goddess of truth. It scans a user’s screen for signs of deepfake video and audio, such as YouTube videos or video conferences.

The detector detects probable deepfakes in seconds. It is available as a Chrome plugin or as a standalone app.

Aletheia, a service aimed at enterprise users that launched on September 17, adds to the growing range of detection services offered by technology and cybersecurity companies as high-quality deepfake software becomes cheaper and more widely available, increasing the likelihood of fraud.

It is worth noting that in 2022, a widely circulated deepfake video showed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky calling on troops to surrender to Russia, while another from early 2024 featured pop star Taylor Swift endorsing U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump.

In 2023, Hong Kong executives transferred about HK$200 million (S$34 million) to fraudsters who used artificial intelligence to imitate their CFO to approve the transaction, raising concerns among companies that have been targeted by fraud, especially via videoconferencing.

This is an area of ​​concern for companies, especially those that conduct online transactions or meet customers exclusively virtually, said Lee Joon Sern, vice president of machine learning and cloud research at Ensign Labs, the research and development arm of Ensign InfoSecurity.

Ensign’s Aletheia analyzes video footage for odd facial and body movements and flickering, as well as other signs that the footage has been manipulated by artificial intelligence, Mr. Lee said.

During a media demonstration at Ensign’s Kallang office on September 17, the detector was shown in action: it detects likely deepfakes via on-screen notifications and automatically saves the footage as evidence.

Users can activate the software each time they access audiovisual content to check whether it has been manipulated by AI.

Because the detector works in the background, users don’t have to log and upload suspicious content to another app, he said. He added that such a process is ineffective because it assumes that users first suspect it’s a deepfake, which can be difficult as the technology becomes more convincing.