What are the implications of synthetic speech attacks? Do consumers prefer biometrics and more?

Matt Smallman Avatar Matt Smallman
10 min read
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Modern SecuritySecurity is one of three key measures of Call Centre Security process performance. It is usually expressed as the likelihood that the process allows someone who isn't who they claim to be to access the service (False Accept). Newsletter #002 - February 2023

Welcome to the second edition of the Modern Security Newsletter community newsletter (did you spot the rename🔍) - Yes, Modern Customer Security Community was a bit of a mouthful.

This newsletter aims to provide members with a monthly summary of news, ideas, insight, and analysis in customer security based on my hours of reading and consideration so that you don't have to. In this edition:

Community News

đź“° In the News

Analysis - The synthetic speech threat to Voice Biometrics

Just for fun

  • How Fingerprints Get their Swirls - The best way to help customers understand how biometrics work is to refer them to fingerprints. We are all, seemingly, born with an innate understanding and acceptance that they are different. But why are they different? This article (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00357-x) from Nature discusses how they evolve during fetal development, similar to a cheetah's spots or zebra's stripes.
  • Dating recordings using electrical hum - We spend much time and effort removing the hum of mains electricity from audio recordings. Still, in this incredibly detailed analysis (https://robertheaton.com/enf/), the author shows how it can be used to date recordings and was used in a prosecution in the UK.
  • A Hacker's Mind - One of the fathers of modern security thinking, Bruce Schnier, who coined my favourite phrase, "Security Theatre”, has released a new book: "A Hacker's Mind" (https://www.schneier.com/books/a-hackers-mind/). It focuses on how the hacker mindset is applied to daily life and what "white hat" hackers can do about it.

That's all for this time. Thanks for being a member of the Modern Security Community