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A client of Lloyds Bank from the UK has discovered that he can access his bank account using voice AI through identification by Voice ID.
User Joseph Cox found out that a voice identifier cannot be used as a safe way to log into your bank account. He was able to trick the system using the free version of the ElevenLabs solution to generate his synthetic voice based on five minutes digital recording of his real voice.
He conducted the experiment several times, as the Lloyd Bank system initially reported that it could not authenticate his voice. After making some changes to ElevenLabs settings for voice generation, such as reading longer text to make cadences sound more natural, his generated voice successfully went around the bank's security system. As a result, Cox called the bank’s automatic service line and began to activate files with his voice generation. The bank accepted its phrase « Check my balance » and then asked me to say two phrases — to name your date of birth and read « my voice — my password ».
Cox scored the desired text on the keyboard and launched a voice generation. « My voice — my password is », — told AI in his voice. The bank's security system spent several seconds identifying this voice fragment. « Thanks », — said the bank, and Cox got inside his account.
« I could not believe it — it worked. I used a replica of my voice with the help of AI to crack my bank account. After that, I had access to account information, including the balance sheet and list of the latest transactions and translations », — was specified by Cox.
The Lloyds Bank website reports that the Voice ID option is absolutely safe. « Your voice is like a fingerprint and unique to you », — the bank claims. « Voice ID analyzes more than 100 different characteristics of your voice, which, like your fingerprint, are unique to you. For example, how do you use your mouth and vocal cords, what is your accent and how fast you say. The system also recognizes you if you have a cold or sore throat », — is specified on the bank's website in the description of this technology.
The representative of Lloyds Bank said that the Voice ID option provides a high level of protection than traditional authentication methods. According to the bank, synthetic voices are not as attractive to scammers as other methods for compromising customer data.
At Lloyds Bank, they are aware of the threat to customers from synthetic voices and there they are constantly finalizing the voice check. The bank reported that voice identification of Voice ID has already led to a significant reduction in telephone banking fraud.
Profile experts explained that it is better for all clients using voice authentication in banks to switch to a safe method of verifying an identity, such as multivariate authentication, as soon as possible. They fear that the replication of votes this year will be one of the vectors of attacks on user accounts in banks, as attackers are aware of information about the victim’s birthday, and you can also get a voice recording in various ways.
Banks in the United States offer similar voice identification, for example, TD Bank ( VoicePrint ) option, Chase bank ( also Voice ID ) and Wells Fargo ( Voice Verification ), which, according to the description, « effectively protect the identity of the client ».
In early January, Microsoft announced the creation of a VALL-E tool to simulate any voice. This AI has a three-second sample to generate a full-fledged human voice. Hearing a specific voice, VALL-E will create an audio recording of how a person says something, and will try to maintain even his emotional tone. A
