15:40Machine-translated from Azerbaijani by AIRead in Azerbaijani
Fake social media accounts will become companies’ top cyber risk within 3 years
According to a new study, social media is becoming one of the main channels for cyberattacks against companies. The creation of fake accounts in brands’ names and the spread of defamatory content ranked 5th on the list of threats last year. For the next 3 years, however, this risk has risen to first place. The creation of fake images and voices of employees and executives, including through “deepfake” technology, has also entered the top 5 risks for the first time. Attackers are now targeting not only company systems but also the trust that brands have earned online.
Fake profiles and customer service accounts are used for phishing, fraud and selling counterfeit products. Criminals share malicious links, spread false information and pose as employees of an official support service. Users are then directed to fake login pages and web addresses that resemble the real site. On those pages, they are asked to enter account, payment and other personal information. Artificial intelligence accelerates the creation of fake accounts and content and makes them appear more convincing. Criminals can imitate a company’s communication style, create realistic-looking images and write messages in an executive’s name. Specialized algorithms can also create numerous similar web addresses for phishing. Of those surveyed, 86 percent consider this a threat. According to the study, using fake accounts together with similar domains makes an attack harder to detect.
In the study, 72 percent of senior technology executives rated the level of cyberthreats their organizations faced in 2025 as critical or very critical. Even if impersonation attacks do not cause direct financial losses, they can damage a company’s reputation and customer trust. Fake accounts are also used to spread defamatory content and sell counterfeit goods as genuine products. For this reason, the impersonation of social media accounts, web addresses and people is considered to be separate parts of the same threat.
Companies should not view impersonation on social media solely as a marketing or reputation problem. This risk should be included in the overall cybersecurity plan. Social media, security, legal and brand protection teams may see different signs of the same attack. When information is monitored in one place, the connection among a fake profile, a phishing page and a similar web address can be identified more quickly. Clear rules should be established in advance for investigating incidents, submitting complaints and shutting down fake accounts. Of the respondents, 57 percent said they use AI-powered monitoring and intervention systems. Another 44 percent use these technologies to detect threats and prevent fraud. Automated systems can help monitor the many fake accounts created around the clock. At the same time, responsible individuals should be designated within the company, and information sharing among teams should be established. The goal is to stop the threat before it reaches users.
Fake profiles and customer service accounts are used for phishing, fraud and selling counterfeit products. Criminals share malicious links, spread false information and pose as employees of an official support service. Users are then directed to fake login pages and web addresses that resemble the real site. On those pages, they are asked to enter account, payment and other personal information. Artificial intelligence accelerates the creation of fake accounts and content and makes them appear more convincing. Criminals can imitate a company’s communication style, create realistic-looking images and write messages in an executive’s name. Specialized algorithms can also create numerous similar web addresses for phishing. Of those surveyed, 86 percent consider this a threat. According to the study, using fake accounts together with similar domains makes an attack harder to detect. In the study, 72 percent of senior technology executives rated the level of cyberthreats their organizations faced in 2025 as critical or very critical. Even if impersonation attacks do not cause direct financial losses, they can damage a company’s reputation and customer trust. Fake accounts are also used to spread defamatory content and sell counterfeit goods as genuine products. For this reason, the impersonation of social media accounts, web addresses and people is considered to be separate parts of the same threat. Companies should not view impersonation on social media solely as a marketing or reputation problem. This risk should be included in the overall cybersecurity plan. Social media, security, legal and brand protection teams may see different signs of the same attack. When information is monitored in one place, the connection among a fake profile, a phishing page and a similar web address can be identified more quickly. Clear rules should be established in advance for investigating incidents, submitting complaints and shutting down fake accounts. Of the respondents, 57 percent said they use AI-powered monitoring and intervention systems. Another 44 percent use these technologies to detect threats and prevent fraud. Automated systems can help monitor the many fake accounts created around the clock. At the same time, responsible individuals should be designated within the company, and information sharing among teams should be established. The goal is to stop the threat before it reaches users.