US EditionAI-Powered Rubio Impersonator Makes Calls to Foreign Ministers, Other Top Officials: Report
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, UNITED STATES, JUL 8 – An AI-driven campaign mimicked Secretary of State Marco Rubio's voice to contact at least five officials, including three foreign ministers, aiming to manipulate sensitive communications.
- In mid-June 2025, an unidentified individual used AI-generated voice and messages to pose as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, reaching out via the Signal app to a group that included top U.S. government figures and several foreign ministers.
- This attack followed a pattern of cyber threat campaigns tracked by the State Department, including a separate Russia-linked spear phishing effort targeting think tanks and activists earlier in April.
- The impersonator set up a Signal account using the name marco.rubio@state.gov and left voicemails as well as text messages targeting multiple individuals outside the Department, including U.S. politicians and foreign ministers, with the intent of accessing sensitive information or accounts.
- A communication from the State Department issued on July 3 instructed diplomatic missions to alert their partners about fraudulent impersonations and confirmed that the FBI is actively investigating the matter, with the department committing to a comprehensive review and enhanced protective measures.
- This incident highlights increased risks from AI-enabled impersonations and ongoing concerns over secure communications, prompting warnings against using apps like Signal for sensitive government business.
159 Articles
159 Articles
The individual created a signal account on behalf of Marc Rubio and contacted foreign ministers.
The man usurped the identity of the US Secretary of State by sending false messages, generated by artificial intelligence, to senior officials "in order to access information and accounts (personal)".
State Department warns diplomats of AI impostor posing as Marco Rubio
The State Department is warning U.S. diplomats of attempts to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio and possibly other officials using technology driven by artificial intelligence, according to two senior officials and a cable sent last week to all embassies and consulates. The warning came after the department discovered that an impostor posing as Rubio had attempted to reach out to at least three foreign ministers, a U.S. senator and a go…
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