Malicious Digital Twins: How Does This Trend Threaten You?

2025 is here, and with it, new expectations and trends for the digital market. Among them, we have the rise of personalized content, machine learning, digital identity, and the consolidation of artificial intelligence. However, despite the numerous benefits brought by technological evolution, we cannot ignore the misuse of these tools for creating new scams and threats. This is precisely what the study "The Easy Way IN/OUT – Securing the Artificial Future," by Trend Micro and published by InforChannel, investigates: the amplification of digital scams, especially those related to digital twins.

What are malicious digital twins?

In brief, digital twins are virtual replicas of objects, processes, or people, created to simulate behaviors and interactions in the digital world. When used properly, these tools play a crucial role in innovation, process optimization, and personalization across various sectors, from city infrastructure to digital marketing. However, when this technology falls into the wrong hands, it can become a significant threat to businesses' health. It can be used to deceive consumers, divert revenues, and harm a brand's reputation through:

Fake Websites or Apps

The advancement of artificial intelligence technologies has ushered in a new era of personalization and efficiency, but it has also made it easier to create convincing replicas of websites, apps, and profiles. This not only captures sensitive information but also leads consumers into deceptive campaigns through imitation of official representatives. The results are diverse, ranging from increased operational costs to deep and permanent damage to a brand's reputation. As Jon Clay, vice president of Threat Intelligence at Trend Micro, said, "Every security risk represents a business risk, with the potential to deeply impact the business and future strategies."

Fake Ads

‍Every advertiser knows how much strategy, creativity, and careful analysis go into developing a campaign. Now imagine discovering that there are fake ads identical to yours, made with impressive speed and resemblance. This is exactly what we are talking about when considering the malicious use of digital twins: fake ads are quickly created to deceive consumers and redirect them to fraudulent pages. All with similar visual elements, promotional texts, and even links to the original ones. The consequences once again lead to diverted traffic and conversions, loss of advertising budgets, and an increase in customer complaints.

Manipulated Service Bots

‍Service bots are a prime example of the union between AI and automation, becoming an essential tool for providing quick and efficient customer support. However, when manipulated with digital twin technologies, they can interact with customers convincingly, stealing a brand's tone and communication style to attract its consumers. The result is again costly for businesses, who not only suffer from revenue diversion but also lose consumer trust.

What to expect in 2025?

If the promotion of technologies like digital twins is already a reality for this year's trends, it would be naïve to think that these new resources won't be hijacked by wrongdoers. However, this doesn't mean your business is at the mercy of malicious actors: it is possible and essential to know how to protect yourself.

Would you like to learn how to protect your business from these threats? Keep following Branddi’s updates and discover more about our brand protection strategies!