An impersonator used an AI-generated voice to mimic US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and managed to contact three foreign ministers and two American politicians, according to a diplomatic cable accessed by Reuters on Tuesday.
In mid-June, the person contacted the ministers, a US governor and a member of Congress via the Signal messaging app, it said. Voicemails were left in two instances and a text message in a third instance invited the targeted person to communicate on Signal, the cable said.
‘Aimed To Manipulate Targeted Individuals’
“The actor likely aimed to manipulate targeted individuals using AI-generated text and voice messages, with the goal of gaining access to information or accounts,” the cable said.
The Washington Post first reported the campaign. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The State Department cable, dated July 3, was sent to all diplomatic and consular posts and suggests that staff warn external partners about fake accounts and impersonations.
‘No Direct Cyber Threat’
“There is no direct cyber threat to the department from this campaign, but information shared with a third party could be exposed if targeted individuals are compromised,” it said.
The cable referred to a second effort in April that was attributed to a Russia-linked hacker who conducted a spear phishing campaign targeting think tanks, Eastern European activists and dissidents and former State Department officials.
The perpetrator copied a fake “@state.gov” email address on the messages as well as logos and branding used by State’s Bureau of Diplomatic Technology, it said.
‘Demonstrated Extensive Knowledge’
“The actor demonstrated extensive knowledge of the department’s naming conventions and internal documentation,” it said.
In that campaign, the person posed as a State Department official in messages sent to private gmail accounts.
The State Department said industry partners attributed that campaign to a cyber actor associated with the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service.
(With inputs from Reuters)
