Deepfake Dilemma: Why Facial Recognition is Failing - Ep 147

Reimagining Cyber - real world perspectives on cybersecurity

In this eye-opening episode of Reimagining Cyber, host Tyler Moffitt is joined by Tom Tovar, co-creator of cybersecurity company Apto, to unpack one of the fastest-growing threats in mobile security—deepfakes and biometric bypass attacks.

Tom explains why facial recognition, once considered a reliable security measure, was never designed to withstand today’s AI-powered spoofing tactics. From simple call interception techniques to sophisticated real-time face-swapping and buffer overrides, Tom walks us through the anatomy of modern biometric attacks. He also reveals why most mobile apps—and even top-tier facial recognition systems—are currently defenseless against these threats.

We dive deep into the vulnerabilities hiding in plain sight within mobile frameworks, and why defending facial recognition starts with the app itself, not the authentication system. Plus, Tom gives us a glimpse into how AI is being used to both attack and defend, and what the future of mobile app security might look like.

If you think your face is your password, think again.

Topics Covered:

• How attackers bypass facial recognition without even needing a deepfake
• Common tools and techniques used to manipulate authentication flows
• The problem with relying on SDK-based facial recognition vendors
• Why the future of defense lies in app-level perimeter security
• How Apto is using AI to build autonomous, in-app defenses

Whether you're a security professional or just fascinated by the evolving threat landscape, this is a must-listen episode.

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