Biometric solutions provider iProov has released its annual Threat Intelligence Report, revealing an unprecedented surge in attacks targeting identity verification systems. The report highlights several alarming trends that demonstrate the rapidly evolving landscape of digital identity threats.
The most significant finding shows a staggering 2,665 percent increase in Native Virtual Camera attacks during 2024. These attacks use malicious camera applications that, despite being removed from official app stores, remain accessible through third-party sources. This dramatic rise builds upon iProov’s previous discoveries of sophisticated digital identity threats in late 2024.
Face swap proliferation has seen a 300 percent increase compared to 2023, with cybercriminals specifically targeting active liveness detection systems in e-wallets and other applications.
The report identifies image-to-video conversion as one of the most prevalent attack methods, using artificial intelligence to transform static images into convincing video content. The news comes as particularly challenging in light of the new European technical standard CEN/TS 18099:2025 for assessing biometric injection attacks.
The investigation uncovered 31 new attack-as-a-service communities, collectively hosting 34,965 users. The largest of these communities has 6,400 members, focusing primarily on know-your-customer bypass techniques, deepfakes, and Android-specific tools.
According to data from Yoti, another identity verification company, the frequency of attacks has increased dramatically. Deepfakes and injection attacks now account for 3.9 percent of age and identity verification checks, up from 1.6 percent in 2023. Daily attack attempts have grown from 1,000 in February 2024 to over 6,000 in January 2025.
The financial impact has been substantial, with the Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Sentinel Network reporting over $10 billion lost to identity theft in 2023. Individual breach settlements have exceeded $350 million, highlighting the massive scale of these security challenges.
Detection capabilities remain a significant concern, with research indicating that only 0.1 percent of participants can reliably differentiate between genuine and fake digital content.
Security experts warn that without significant advances in detection and containment protocols, the threat from deepfake technology, synthetic identity fraud, and AI-powered cyberattacks will continue to grow exponentially.
Sources: Technology Inquirer, HSToday, The Paypers
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February 28, 2025 – by the ID Tech Editorial Team
