Page 245 - Cyber Defense eMagazine Annual RSA Edition for 2024

The impact of AI-generated fake IDs

The recent appearance of platforms like OnlyFake illustrates a worrying trend: AI's ability to generate
fake IDs with a degree of realism previously unimaginable. These digital forgeries pose a significant risk
to platforms that rely on photo IDs for user verification, in doing so offering fraudsters a new avenue to
infiltrate secure environments. In theory, a fraudster could use a tool like OnlyFake to generate a photo
of an ID that is realistic enough to pass through digital identity verification checks.

The level of sophistication that these AI-generated fake IDs could be able to achieve means that they
can potentially pass as legitimate in less stringent verification processes. The potential for them to be
used in a wide array of deceitful activities- from financial fraud to bypassing age restrictions- highlights
the pressing need for businesses to reassess their fraud prevention strategies.

The OnlyFake case study

To demystify the capabilities of AI-generated fake IDs, the IDScan.net team sought out to investigate
platforms like OnlyFake and test out their capabilities. Whilst the OnlyFake platform was the one initially
suspected to be the source of the fraudulent IDs, it turned out to be just the tip of the iceberg. We
discovered a subsequential Telegram channel, where fraudsters exchanged tips and sources for
obtaining fake IDs, pointing to the more sophisticated Passport Cloud fake ID generator as the primary
tool for creating these disingenuous digital documents. This is where we then focused our efforts to
acquire and test these IDs against our verification systems to assess their authenticity.

What we found was that despite the convincing visual accuracy of these AI-generated fake IDs, they
lacked the essential physical security features - such as ultraviolet and infrared markings - critical for
passing through advanced ID authentication systems. Most of the AI-generated fakes even lacked basic
2D barcode security features that our algorithms use to verify IDs in remote environments. These
shortfalls highlighted a fundamental flaw in the fraudsters' attempts to mimic genuine documents,
reaffirming the robustness of sophisticated identity verification technologies and the essential need for
continuous advancement to stay one step ahead of ever-evolving threats.

AI-generated fake IDs vs. IDScan's technology

In the face of sophisticated AI-generated fake IDs, our technology has demonstrated remarkable efficacy
in identifying and flagging fraudulent documents. Central to this success is our advanced 2D barcode
security technology, which, unlike simpler verification methods that might only scan for visual accuracy,
examines the encoded data within the ID's barcode for inconsistencies and anomalies that signify forgery.

Live document capture features and third-party checks are also integral components of a robust defence
mechanism against identity fraud. Live document capture ensures that the ID presented during the
verification process is not only real but currently in the possession of its bearer, thereby adding a layer of
security that static images cannot provide. Additionally, third-party checks offer an extra validation step,
comparing the information on the ID against external databases to verify its authenticity.

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