Solana CISO Coates warns AI deepfakes make crypto scams convincing
Michael Coates, the newly appointed chief information security officer, or CISO, at the Solana Foundation, is warning that AI tools like deepfakes are helping scammers pull off more convincing crypto scams.
Instead of hacking blockchains directly, attackers are now tricking people through social engineering and identity fraud: think fake videos and realistic phishing attempts.
Coates says these smarter scams are a rising threat as the most recent breaches have come from stolen credentials or operational slip-ups.
Coates urges post-quantum cryptography, multilayer security
With experience from Twitter and Mozilla, Coates is pushing for multilayered security that protects users by default, even if they're not tech experts.
He also flagged the future risks of quantum computing and urged the industry to get ahead with post-quantum cryptography.
He emphasized that the crypto industry must prioritize building robust defenses even when vulnerabilities are exploited, highlighting just how important it is to stay one step ahead of evolving threats.