Magazine menu Close Magazine menu

Diversity is a competitive advantage

Organizations are better prepared for cyberattacks if they actively increase their cybersecurity teams’ diversity, says new research by Kaspersky in partnership with the commercial department of the Financial Times. These articles show you how to make tech teams more inclusive.

Selected articles

Stemettes STEM training

Young women may be the answer to cybersecurity’s skills gap

  • Talent
  • min read
    • If there's a regular path into tech, Dr. Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE didn't take it. A child prodigy, she was the youngest girl ever to pass A-level (high school) computing. At 20, she graduated UK's Oxford University with a Masters in Maths and Computer Science. Anne-Marie's inspiration to turn her hand to social enterprise came from a stark realization. Attending a work conference in the US, she decided she wanted to change things for women who came after her. "It turned out to be a massive 'women in tech' conference. I had a bit of an epiphany. I'd always been a girl and had always been into tech, and had never noticed that was something strange," she explains. "So I started Stemettes as a response to that, to ensure my unborn daughters could be what they want to be, and thrive, because society depends on it." What Stemettes is changing Stemettes work across the UK, Ireland and beyond to inspire and support young women into science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers. It includes a content platform full of inspiration, free events and programs such as mentoring, school holiday programs and regular clubs – provided online in the age of COVID-19, in person at other times. "Our ethos across is it's always free, always fun and there's always food," Anne-Marie adds. The idea the tech industry needs more women and girls might seem a little old-hat in 2020. Much has been achieved, but women make up only 10 percent of the global cybersecurity workforce. The cybersecurity skills gap shows there's no room to let any interested young person go without the chance to get more involved. Stemettes has created cybersecurity courses and opportunities for young women where schools aren't yet catering for their interests. Along with British tech skills training provider QA, they've developed certification academies so young women between 17 and 25 can gain professional cybersecurity qualifications over half-term. The skills gap is more complex than you think Anne-Marie thinks there are a few elements to the cyber-skills gap problem across the industry. Understanding them can help inform where and how teaching skills to girls can have most impact. First, there's a lack of focus on basic digital skills across the board. Second, many more people need expert cyber-skills to build the industry and meet its demand. Third, there needs to be more focus on cybersecurity services for small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) using digital technologies. "There's a gap in not just cyber-awareness for SMBs, but also cybersecurity services and advice aimed at and priced for them. When I was younger, there were a lot of people, and social media agencies, who'd go to their local high street and say, "Hey, barber, pay me each month and I'll run your Facebook and your Instagram." There's a cottage industry around that, but we don't have that for cybersecurity. We've ended up having a lot of vulnerabilities because people aren't following basic cyber-hygiene." It's bigger than just SMBs turning their businesses digital, though. Anne-Marie says, "There's so much in building systems, even just for us to be able to vote electronically in the future. There's a lot that needs to be developed in the cyberspace just to keep us safe. We don't have enough people with these skills to work in these companies and run these start-ups." Why teaching girls can be the solution In creating the Stemettes Certification Academy, Anne-Marie saw an opportunity for girls not only to be better trained in cyber-skills, but be able to jump into the profession armed with expertise and qualifications. "We spotted from the girls we work with that the provision in the normal education system for anyone who wants to be in computer science is patchy. So academically, they're not able to pursue things they're interested in, or getting blocked from being able to develop skills they'll need when working," Anne-Marie explains. "These girls are learning from real trainers who teach and work professionally in cybersecurity. They're doing real adult qualifications in cyber to learn the basics, but also to understand their options in cyber." For Anne-Marie, Stemettes is playing a role bigger than just filling the current skills gap. "We're skilling up with real certifications and a generation of new young women who can work in cyber, but even if they choose not to, they take cyber-knowledge into medicine, architecture or other parts of life they touch." How should businesses get involved? Stemettes is proving there's a high impact from its focus on sharing, upskilling and awareness-raising. What does Anne-Marie think corporates working with technology could be doing? "They should fund any kind of cyber-awareness, or cyber-skills, programs around them. They need to invest in future skills and skills of their people. They should also open their doors and do as much sharing in the community around them. I get that if you make money from your cyber-knowledge, giving it away for free isn't the easiest. Still, much is already public in skills frameworks, so they can be part of information dissemination to society. That would be amazing." Stemettes is just one organization supporting routes for girls and women into technology. Kaspersky partners with Girls In Tech, a STEM organization for women, and Cyber Starts, its EU campaign to support early talent women which has hosted events in London, UK and Boston, USA with inspiring female industry speakers. It also hosts the Women in cybersecurity Facebook group to support those entering and working in the field. It might seem like Anne-Marie is asking a lot, but the need for a long-term approach in investing in cyber-skills is ever more pertinent in 2020 as the world demands more, better, faster technology. As she puts it: "It ultimately makes their job easier."
emotional intelligence ai

To recruit diverse talent, we need emotionally intelligent AI. But how?

  • Future tech
  • min read
    • Recruiting stand-out, creative talent poses a challenge. In the wake of the pandemic, we need creativity more than ever. The Harvard Business Review says, "Imagination may seem like a frivolous luxury in a crisis, but it is actually a necessity for building future success. Now is not the time for only executing a practiced recipe." Artificial Intelligence (AI) designed for recruitment can build an 'ideal candidate profile' using historic data from your business, but is that enough? Can the best creative talent be so easily defined? Using any candidate profile automatically creates bias, whether positive or negative, because it's then used to source candidates and identify those most likely to succeed in the role. Algorithms even exist that can recommend candidates based on interview attributes, like facial expressions, body language and word choice. If you're recruiting based on who's been successful with your company before, can those with different kinds of experience and viewpoints have a fair chance to shine? To find the best free-thinking talent, we may need an AI with emotional intelligence that can go against bias. AI mirrors our best and worst traits Is AI itself biased? Frida Polli, a former academic neuroscientist at Harvard and MIT, and CEO of Pymetrics talent matching platform, doesn't think so. She told Wired magazine, "AIs are learning from the origins of bias – the human brain." Stephanie Allcock, tech industry HR specialist, echoes the sentiment. "In theory, AI should reduce unconscious bias in recruitment, but it depends on how you program it. Their success is down to the data you feed it." The World Economic Forum warns, "Past hiring decisions are used to train the algorithm to evaluate who is most likely to be the 'right' applicant. Often this approach inherently replicates the same biases present before the arrival of AI recruiting tools." And it happens. Amazon was forced to scrap a secret AI recruiting tool that showed bias against women because it "taught itself" male candidates were preferable. Whether using machine or human judgment, without frameworks in place, it's easy to hire those who fit your workplace culture, leading to a team without diverse experience. A Wall Street Journal report said, "Employers often aim to hire people they think will be a good fit, but their efforts can easily veer into a [situation] where new hires all look, think and act alike." Unconscious bias and why it matters If questioned, most of us would say (and believe) we don't have prejudice. But unconscious bias is the assumptions we hold that we're unaware of. It may include preconceptions about people based on, for example, sex, race, disability or age that seep into our decision-making without our knowing. Solving unconscious bias is not as simple as alerting workers that they may have it. It can make the team defensive and unreceptive to coaching. Myra LalDin, CEO of diversity training start-up Vectre, told Workflow magazine, "From a neuroscience perspective, your brain automatically starts trying to defend itself, and you don't hear the content being presented." Using VR to reduce unconscious bias International professional services giant PwC predict VR and AR could boost the global economy by 1.5 trillion US dollars over the next 10 years, with one-fifth coming from its use in training. Traditionally used for job skills simulation like flight simulators, safety procedures and equipment operation, a recent PwC study shows impressive potential for using VR for soft skills training, like empathetic leadership and problem-solving. 'V-learners' (learners using a 3D virtual environment) found the simulations so realistic that they made decisions the same as they would in real life. 75 percent reported a 'wake-up call moment' that helped them identify times in their past when they had not been as inclusive as they'd thought. V-learners were up to 275 percent more confident to act on what they learned after training. This is significant because when it comes to soft skills, confidence is key to success. Confidence builds employee satisfaction, leads to better employee retention. It also helps to improve work quality and reduce mistakes. At scale, v-learning would likely be more cost-effective than classroom or e-learning. Most participants said they preferred it to traditional approaches too. The study goes so far as to call a 'blended approach' to learning "the future." It suggested VR is best for practicing what you learn in a safe environment, e-learning is great for academic activities such as learning how to use software, and classroom training is best for working collaboratively and discussing with peers. The path to AI with emotional intelligence AI and algorithms can be blamed for many things, such as unfair exam results or secretly ranking Tinder users based on their 'desirability' and ruining the chronological timeline of Instagram. It doesn't create unconscious bias but reinforces prejudices present in its source data. This is where skills training comes in. With immersive technology like VR, we can reduce unconscious bias in ourselves before we feed our recruitment choices into automated programs using AI. Automated recruitment technology is useful, but it shouldn't replace human judgment. Otherwise, the best talent may get missed because they don't have the right keywords in their application. Emotionally intelligent AI will help us find the best talent, not just the most obvious fit, just as soon as we can train ourselves to make more emotionally intelligent choices.
returnship programs

How return-to-work programs boost retention for women in tech

  • Women and diversity
  • min read
    • Mothers returning to work after a career break to raise children face many challenges, from closed doors to employers penalizing resumé gaps to being expected to take a backward step for a more family-friendly role. Research by the Association of British Insurers in 2018 found having children leads to women earning 20 percent less than men long-term. UK charity Pregnant then Screwed's data shows around 62 percent of women returners work fewer hours, change jobs or stop working because of high childcare costs. Support in returning to work How can companies support women to thrive in the workforce while closing the gender pay gap? Harvard Business Review names "returnships," or return-to-work programs, as one of the top five ways. PWC research shows better supporting returners could raise UK women's earnings 1.1 billion British pounds (around 1.5 billion US dollars) while boosting the UK economy 1.7 billion British pounds ($2.3 billion US dollars.) Meta, formerly Facebook, launched its returnships program. People who've been away from work for two years or more and want to re-enter full time are eligible for the 16-week, immersive, paid program. If you show ability to succeed after training and mentorship, you're considered for a full-time position. Returning without starting from scratch With a nearly four-year resumé gap after having two children, IT professional Zandra Otubamowo anticipated picking up her career where she'd left it. But after a string of rejections, she had to consider starting from scratch. She says, "I had many mixed feelings, but the one that stands out was the frustration of trying to get something you know you want, but it's not coming, and you don't know what else to do." Otubamowo continues, "In that gap, it's not like I was sitting at home, just taking care of my family. I was still learning about the technical world, doing training and connecting with people. So what didn't I have? I felt like the gap was the reason." A friend told Otubamowo about Meta's Return to Work program. She applied immediately and started her role as Technical Program Manager in September 2020. Meta hopes its Return-to-Work initiative will help double female employees globally by 2026 – women are currently around 37 percent of their workforce. "The support in the program was like being put into a bubble to protect us, which you don't get when you just come in normally," Otubamowo says. "From my manager to my mentor and my buddy, there were so many people put in place for me to make sure I succeed. You're coming into a space where things are moving so quickly, but in the program, people help you move at your pace. I don't think I could have survived otherwise." "We need more women to feel comfortable coming back into the workforce and not feel like they have to take a paycut or fall behind – that you are going to be given what you deserve," says Otubamowo. Bridging the gender gap Financial services group Nomura launched its Returners Program in 2019 as part of a plan to increase numbers of women in the business. The program gives 12 weeks' induction, training and coaching to anyone who's had a career break of 18 months or more, after which candidates can apply for positions at the company. Most succeed. Nomura is aiming for 33 percent female employees and has so far reached 31 percent. They want 19 percent working at senior level and have reached 14 percent. After a seven-year career break to care for two young daughters, Rachael Grieve recalls jumping back into the job market in 2019 and finding nothing but despair. The yawning gap in her resumé left her with few opportunities that suited her experience and ideal schedule. After a failed interview for an office manager position, "I went home and burst into tears, thinking, "That's it – I'm done." It felt like all these doors were closed. I still remember that desperation and fear, especially after interviews destroy your confidence. You find yourself stuck as to where to go." Soon after, a chance conversation with a friend who still worked at her previous employer, Nomura, led to Grieve returning and setting up the company's Returners Program. Shereen Peeroo Finney, a cybersecurity architect, joined Nomura in 2019 through the program after taking two years away to reassess her career direction and retrain. "We had resumé advice, practice interviews, external mentoring and a 90-day plan. The program helps you regain confidence a lot faster," Peeroo Finney says. Securing the right support and partners for success Tackling gender inequality isn't easy, admits Grieve, now Nomura's global head of learning and development for technology. She feels strongly about leading this program, so it becomes a standard part of Nomura's diversity, equality and inclusion strategy. "Our Chief Information Officer from day one was 100 percent supportive," Grieve says. "It made a massive difference to be given the platform and sponsorship. I also made sure all senior managers understood the caliber of candidates we were getting through it." Specialist firm Inclusivity Partners helps run Nomura's returnship program and similar programs for Shell and Virgin Money. Inclusivity Partners founder Stephanie Dillon says, "If you want to make the difference for women, they need a job. They need pension contributions. They need financial independence. With return programs, you're providing a job opportunity. Now [when the candidate is] back in the market, other companies think, "that's a good candidate," rather than fixating on the career break."

Report: Three steps to superior cybersecurity

  • Enterprise cybersecurity
  • min read
    • The threat of cybersecurity weighs heavily on enterprises now more than ever. Technology researchers Gartner say new ransomware models alone are the biggest emerging risk organizations face today — bigger than the pandemic and supply chain disruption. But new research from Kaspersky in association with Longitude, a Financial Times company, shows enterprises are not prepared. Less than one in 10 are very well prepared to deal with cyberattacks by professional cybercriminals (9  percent,) lone hackers (7 percent) and nation states (6 percent.) The research surveyed 750 leaders at enterprises around the world about their approach to cybersecurity. Respondents, representing companies from many regions and industries of at least 1,000 employees, were those who knew their organization's cybersecurity strategy. Enterprises unprepared for cyberattacks "Most people are completely unprepared," says Shawnee Delaney, CEO of US-based insider threat specialist Vaillance Group. "Every day, something changes: There's a newer, better virus, a new technique, a new modus operandi. It's impossible to keep up with everything, and that's frightening for everyone." Delaney is more prepared than most, with her company's security credentials and her background at the Defense Intelligence Agency conducting clandestine intelligence operations around the world. According to Kaspersky's research, the main reason companies are not prepared is reliance on legacy technology vulnerable to today's threats. They also lack financial resources to recruit or consult skilled security professionals. The risk is real, and companies are not prepared. What can they do? Kaspersky's research shows three things they can change for better security outcomes. Step 1: Make cybersecurity teams more diverse Diversity and inclusion is high on the business agenda, thanks partly to movements like #MeToo and Black Lives Matter. There's also a strong business case for it. Research by management consultancy McKinsey & Company shows companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 25 percent more likely to have above-average profitability than those in the bottom quartile. Businesses expect cybersecurity to benefit from diversity too. In Kaspersky's research, most enterprises (62 percent) believe creating a more diverse and inclusive cybersecurity team will be important in the next two years. They're right to focus on this because there's a long way to go. Figures from the UK National Cyber Security Centre show 85 percent of professionals working in cybersecurity are white and 66 percent are male. Kaspersky's research finds cybersecurity teams benefit from being more diverse and inclusive. A fifth (20 percent) of respondents strongly believe they're actively improving diversity and inclusion in their cybersecurity teams. The data shows this small group, which Kaspersky calls the Diversity Leaders, is much better prepared to deal with a range of cybersecurity attacks. Kaspersky's Diversity Leaders have also been quicker to learn from the pandemic. They are more likely than others to be planning for a major crisis through real-world cyberincident training (68 percent of Diversity Leaders versus 54 percent of the rest.) There are more than three million unfilled positions in cybersecurity globally, according to cybersecurity professional organization (ISC)². Darren Argyle, group chief information security risk officer at international bank Standard Chartered, believes improving diversity on teams can help fill vacant spots. In 2021 Standard Chartered launched its Cyber Acceleration Programme (CAP.) About 50 women have participated so far. A 'skill-up and scale-up' program, CAP provides junior and mid-level women with self-paced modules on cybersecurity and leadership. On top of the learning modules, groups of up to ten women are assigned to senior cybersecurity leaders and undergo a 12-week mentoring program. "We're creating a leadership framework that women can engage with," says Argyle. "They work with role models in the bank, who are predominantly women, on areas they might want to develop." Step 2: Closely integrate the C-suite with cybersecurity teams C-suite (senior management) leaders have broad and high-level remits, while cybersecurity professionals focus on the details of cyberthreats. They are not obvious partners. But Kaspersky's research shows that when enterprises build strong links between the two, they experience better security outcomes. A quarter (26 percent) of respondents believe strong integration between the C-suite and cybersecurity teams will be very important in the next two years. The data shows this small group, which Kaspersky calls the Integration Leaders, is better prepared to deal with cyberattacks. UK IT giant Softcat closely aligns its C-suite and cybersecurity teams. Responsibility for risk — including cybersecurity — ultimately rests with its CEO, Graeme Watt. "I am the key stakeholder for security within the board. I have a Chief Information Officer (CIO) who reports directly to me, and the information security team sits under them," he says. "I am the person the board looks to on cyber risks, but I don't do all the reporting myself. I bring the CIO into the board meeting when we're talking about cybersecurity risk." The company faces scrutiny of its cyber risk status from many sources. As a public company, it is subject to external audit. It has its own internal audits. As an IT company that offers security products and services, its reputation among customers depends on its own security standards. Watt works closely with its cybersecurity team to ensure standards are met, but elsewhere in the Softcat C-suite other leaders also have responsibility for cybersecurity. Indian manufacturer Shriram Pistons and Rings takes a similar approach and keeps its security expertise close to the C-suite. 'Shop floor' digitization is a priority for the company, and it plans to use the internet of things (IoT) extensively across its facilities. Its chief digital officer Prashant Khairnar, hired to drive digitization from 'shop floor to top floor,' explains that the leadership team takes security seriously. "When we do risk assessments, cybersecurity is always the top concern," he says. "Of course, I am not a cybersecurity expert, but the person who handles this area is, and he reports directly to me. I take a more strategic view, and he focuses on day-to-day security and the technical issues." Cybercrime is increasing rapidly. Data from technology market analysts Canalys shows 30 billion data records were stolen globally in 2020 – more than the previous 15 years combined. Evgeniya Naumova, executive vice president of corporate business at Kaspersky, says the rise in cybercrime has made the C-suite wake up to the threat. "I think the importance of information security was highlighted to the C-suite and top management during the Covid-19 pandemic," she says, suggesting the increased security risks of remote working captured leaders' attention. "There was a switch — a really obvious switch — in their minds. They understood that it's not just something to observe from afar — it needs to be top of their minds." Step 3: Invest in high-quality cybersecurity training It's no secret that a skilled cybersecurity team is essential to fighting cybercrime. But with four million unfilled vacancies in cybersecurity globally, there is a major skills shortage. A third (34 percent) of companies in Kaspersky's research believe the shortage will get worse in the next two years. Skills and training programs help fill this gap. But to stay relevant, these schemes must be kept up to date. The Kaspersky research identifies a very small group of companies, eight percent, that strongly believe their cybersecurity training programs can keep pace with the evolving threat landscape. The data shows this group, which Kaspersky calls the Skills Leaders, has better security outcomes. Continuously updating skills and training programs eventually helps to make security part of the company's culture. This is essential, according to Vaillance's Delaney. And she thinks continuous training on basic cybersecurity principles is a good place to start. She continues, "Employees need to keep their software up to date, understand what the VPN is and how to use it and not use public Wi-Fi, for example. These are general cyber hygiene best practices critical to maintaining security." Kaspersky's Skills Leaders are more likely to innovate around their training. Two-thirds of Skills Leaders (67 percent) believe it will be very important to carry out immersive cybersecurity training in the next two years, compared with just 49 percent of the rest. The Skills Leaders are also more likely to embed cybersecurity awareness into their recruitment and onboarding process. Another innovative way to fill the skills gap in cybersecurity teams is to recruit from competitors, according to Standard Chartered's Argyle. But to do this, companies must adapt how they work. "If you look at the skills we want to try to attract into organizations around cybersecurity and technology, a lot of those skills don't necessarily sit in another bank," he says. "They sit in fintechs, technology organizations and cloud companies. So we need to be able to offer the same working environment as a large technology company like Google, Amazon or a fintech. And that's a very different way of working." Kaspersky's Naumova says security is every employee's responsibility. "We offer educational courses on how to change the behavior of everyone in the company," she says. "It's not just something the information security team should care about. It's the responsibility of everyone." She adds that companies must take a top-to-bottom approach to security, so everyone learns. "Some companies have an information security director or similar on their board," she says. "They promote them there because they understand they can lose business in a single day if security isn't done properly." The three steps create a virtuous cybersecurity circle Kaspersky's research shows enterprises are better prepared against cyberattacks if they increase diversity in cybersecurity teams, improve collaboration between the C-suite and cybersecurity teams, and invest in quality skills programs. But developing these in isolation is not the answer. The research shows each factor complements one another. For example, Kaspersky's Skills Leaders are more likely to create diverse and inclusive cybersecurity teams and integrate their C-suites and cybersecurity teams more closely. It's a virtuous circle that increases cybersecurity preparedness. The threat landscape is evolving quickly, and cybercriminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Businesses have no choice but to match sophistication with extreme preparedness.
engaging women

Infographic: Why women leave tech careers, and what to do about it

  • Leadership
  • min read
    • In tech, there's much talk of what we can do to recruit more women. But we rarely talk about that even bigger problem: Once we recruit women into tech roles, they're more likely to leave the career than men. The good news is, leaders can do a lot to change that. How leaders can help more women (and men) stay engaged at work When it comes to retaining more women, the changes you make will likely benefit all staff. Work on these six areas to help keep everyone in your team engaged. 1.    Get better at onboarding Karen Holtzblatt of WITOps says, "50 percent of women are not clear about what to do to be successful. All new hires need to develop strong connections and knowledge and skill to succeed. Use our Team Onboarding Checklist to onboard right." 2.    Encourage valuing and belonging "Women need to feel belonging and value in their team," says Karen Holtzblatt. WITOps have engaging, practical activities to foster more supportive workplace behaviors. 3.    Use tools to reduce bias "Map the full employee experience and identify where bias influences career paths. Use tools and processes that mitigate human and automated biases," says Dr. Patricia Gestoso, BIOVIA's Head of Scientific Customer Support in Kaspersky's Women in Tech report 2021. 4.    Be all about mentoring Mentoring helps more women rise through the ranks, says global tech leader Margaret Dawson. Leaders should take opportunities to mentor and encourage team members to get a mentor. 5.   Take breaks and switch off 'Always on' work culture is bad for productivity and health, and affects women more because they're more likely to have care responsibilities. Lead by example: Take regular breaks, switch off after hours and encourage all in your team to do the same. 6.    Identify and challenge ways your business centers men Are employee benefits male-coded, like tickets to sporting events? Is competitiveness overly encouraged? Do after-work drinks loom large? Review benefits and offer what more women need, like flexible work and good parental leave. Infographic references 1 Accenture Resetting Tech Culture report 2021 2 Accenture Resetting Tech Culture report 2021 3 Pew Research 4 New study reveals key to the gender gap in C-suite 5 Karen Holtzblatt, WITOps 6 Kaspersky Women in Tech report 2020-21 7 WITOps onboarding research 8 WITOps onboarding checklist 9 Fostering more supportive behaviors 10 Kaspersky Women in Tech report 2020-21 11 Mentoring is hard but rewarding, and it's everyone's job 12 ACCA Global: The always-on culture is bad for productivity and health
disinformation technology

Can AI help mend trust in business damaged by trolling and fakes?

  • Artificial intelligence
  • min read
    • In 2021, artificial intelligence (AI) might have finally become better than humans at being human. A study found people trust AI-made fake faces more than real people's faces. The researchers warn their findings show widespread use of AI poses a threat to the public. They recommend stronger safeguards restricting code to those with good reason to use it. As deepfakes and manipulated imagery increase, we've seen a counter-balance in businesses wanting to communicate with customers in a more authentic voice. This also means rooting out manipulated sentiment and trolling, so we see governments and brands contracting tech firms to reveal those spreading disinformation on social media. Could we get better at spotting fakes? In a world where four in ten teens can't tell the difference between fake and real news, rebuilding trust must be a business priority. But how AI technology has advanced makes it complex. It's now easy to create many synthetic images and videos using AI systems that analyze thousands of real images to learn how to make fakes. In the past, that workload would've needed many trained people. The FBI recently alerted that HR managers have spotted people using deepfakes to apply for remote jobs. But why? "Fake employment applicants may be hoping to access and hack the hiring company's IT systems," says Kaspersky senior data scientist Dmitry Anikin. "It's happening, but today, it's hard to do well. Making a high-quality deepfake needs much data and computing power, especially for online meetings. We should prepare for the threat to grow, because technology doesn't stand still." Fighting to maintain online credibility All business relies on trust. So how can business operate with the albatross of fakery hovering above? Luckily, companies like Truepic offer solutions. Truepic's software development kit (SDK) integrates with apps that rely on images, verifying media in real time. It checks image metadata – like when, where and on which device it was created – then cryptographically signs it, embedding validation in the file. This lets businesses on the back end know if content is real or synthetic. Truepic's clients include credit reporting company Equifax and car manufacturer Ford. When Ford pays out on a warranty claim, they need to know if car parts or damage photographs are legitimate or have been manipulated or pulled from the web. Brown says tagging tools like Truepic come at a time of brand and consumer frustration with social media companies doing little to stem disinformation. "We're in that sea change now. A consumer push for authenticity is starting to pressure social media platforms to take notice." But firms like Truepic aren't sitting on their hands waiting for Facebook, Twitter and TikTok to act differently. Truepic belongs to Adobe's Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI), a community of tech companies, media, non-government organizations (NGOs) and others promoting an open industry standard for proving content authenticity. This year, Adobe released a three-part open-source toolkit to help get trust-building technology into developers' hands faster. Rooting out social media trolls ZeroFox, Astroscreen and Cyabra use AI to identify disinformation disseminators and 'sock puppets' – fake profiles creating an illusion of wider support for (or opposition to) an idea or company. Cyabra calls itself a "social media search engine designed to track and measure the impact of fake accounts." Companies like Cyabra recognize social media platforms aren't doing this enough. Rafi Mendelsohn, vice president of marketing at Cyabra, says, "We look at the 'breadcrumbs' to find out if an account is real or not." Breadcrumbs might be, for example, a user posting 23 hours a day or multiple users Tweeting the same text. Brands using Cyabra include Warner Media, which faced a deluge of Twitter trolling when they announced the first female-led superhero film, Wonder Woman, in 2017. "We helped Warner recognize authentic enthusiasm for the film and what was false," says Mendelsohn. Cyabra works with Brazilian, Colombian and US state governments to track fake narratives leading up to major elections. Mendelsohn notes, "Human analysts have done this work for years, but we can do it at scale with AI." In the highly publicized battle between Elon Musk and Twitter, Musk contracted Cyabra to find out how many Twitter users were fake before confirming purchase – their analysis found about 11 percent. Towards a more authentic internet Those studying distrust online have found language is important in identifying disinformation. Victoria Rubin, associate professor of information and media studies at University of Western Ontario, has tracked disinformation spreaders for several years and noticed some hallmarks. "Those who lie don't often reference themselves in posts and prefer to use 'they' in language." She says fake news and election lies spread fast when people don't look critically at what they see. It's common – haven't we all reacted to a news item after just reading the headline? Disinformation isn't going anywhere soon, so to attack it requires greater vigilance. Those I interviewed said education and company responsibility must be part of confronting it. They agree we must teach people how bad actors use new technologies to fool us something's real when it's not. Platforms like Twitter and Facebook must also do as much as possible to rebuild trust, says Truepic's Brown. "Our big-picture goal is an internet with built-in authenticity infrastructure, so everyone has the right data to make decisions that affect their lives."

Explore Kaspersky Enterprise cybersecurity solutions

No matter your structure or level of cybersecurity expertise, our stage-by-stage enterprise solutions will keep your business and workforce protected.

Explore now
by Innovating leaders.
Innovative tech.
About Secure Futures

Secure Futures magazine is your go-to business guide for opinions, trends and insight into the world of technology and cybersecurity. We help your business to bring on the future. Brought to you by Kaspersky, the global cybersecurity experts.

  • For all other countries