Bit Defender’s Director of Innovation

Razan Costake

Excitement about Work

Latest Technologies

• Works with generative AI to analyze hacking techniques and develop countermeasures.
• Focus on improving security measures through AI-powered threat detection.

Fears and Statistics

• Over $1 trillion lost to scams in 2022, despite education efforts; 7% of people reported falling victim to losses due to lack of awareness or education.

Scam Types and Examples

WhatsApp Scams

• Contextual scams targeting online marketplace listings.
• Account takeovers with deep-fake technology.
• Voice-based scams using synthetic audio.
• Malvertising on Facebook, including fake loan or investment ads.

Detection and Response Process

Analytics and Machine Learning

• Collects data from hundreds of millions of endpoints to detect patterns in scam activity.
• Uses fingerprint templates, clustering SMS messages, and call-intent analysis for detection.

Customer Notifications

• Immediate alerts via phone for malicious calls and SMS.
• Advises users to verify caller identity before taking action.

Multi-Touchpoint Attack Detection

• Correlates events across multiple touchpoints (WhatsApp, browser, and phone) to identify suspicious patterns.

Advice to Users

• Verify caller identity and context before acting on any information.
• Teach family members to critically evaluate information and use their own judgment.

Additional Insights

• Scams adapt quickly based on current events; Singapore’s dedicated unit initially reduced losses but saw a spike in concerts reversing gains.

link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhyVtuYxRU8