Deepfake extortion targets Singapore officials, highlighting growing cyber threat

More than 100 Singapore public servants, including five ministers, were targeted, prompting calls for better cyber threat education

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Singapore’s Merlion statue. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 3:29pm, 29 Nov 2024Updated: 4:06pm, 29 Nov 2024

Analysts are warning that a recent cyber extortion incident in Singapore might be a harbinger of future cyber extortion threats, after more than 100 public servants, including five ministers from 30 government agencies, received targeted emails featuring compromising deepfake images and ransom demands of up to US$50,000.

Cybersecurity experts who spoke to This Week in Asia said the case underscored the sophistication and fast-moving nature of deepfake technology, pointing to a greater need for public awareness and detection tools.

“Singapore might not have obvious weaknesses, but its strong economy and global reputation make it a tempting target for cybercriminals,” said Ali Fazeli, a senior cyberthreat intelligence consultant at NexVision Lab.

“As a centre for finance, trade, and governance, it holds valuable information and influential people, making it more likely to face attacks aimed at its wealth and status.”

The manipulated images purportedly showed political officeholders and public officers in compromising positions, the city state’s digital development and information ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

The email content and images sent to victims were identical, except for the face of the individual in the image, which appeared to be taken from open sources such as LinkedIn, it added.