Maryland Sen. Cardin targeted in deepfake Zoom call; Russia, China, and Iran suspected
National security officials are investigating a Zoom call made to Maryland U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, where someone used deepfake technology to impersonate a former top Ukrainian official.
Authorities are still trying to determine who is responsible, with intelligence sources suspecting involvement from Russia, China, or Iran.
Deepfakes, often used for fake celebrity endorsements or humorous videos, are no laughing matter in this case.
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 21: Chairman Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) speaks a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing where U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is testifying on Capitol Hill on May 21, 2024 in Washington, DC. Blinken is testifying before th
Capitol Police confirmed the Zoom call was an attempt to impersonate a foreign official. Sen. Cardin and his staff became suspicious of the caller’s behavior and promptly ended the call.
Sources revealed the deepfake was of Ukraine’s former Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
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Dr. Max Tegmark, an A.I. researcher at MIT, explained the ease with which such technology can be used.
"Just take a video, and the face of the other person, click, drag, and you’re done! It should be illegal to make those tools available. That’s when the problem is going to get solved," Tegmark said.
The incident has raised alarms within Congress, prompting Senate security officials to issue a warning to staff to remain vigilant against deepfakes.
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Sen. Mark Warner, Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, expressed concern, telling FOX 5: "This was an attempt to manipulate Senator Cardin into saying things that could be detrimental. Luckily, it was spotted, but foreign governments—particularly Russia, China, and Iran—will continue to try to meddle."
Sen. Cardin released a statement, saying, "I ended the call, and my office took swift action, alerting the relevant authorities."
His office has declined further comment, citing the ongoing investigation.