As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly transforms customer service, contact centers become a prime target for cybercriminals. Following RSAC 2025, security experts warn that the fast adoption of AI, automation, and cloud-based tools, while boosting efficiency, has introduced serious vulnerabilities.
Contact centers handle thousands of sensitive interactions daily. They are at the intersection of personal data and digital service, making them attractive for phishing, credential theft, and, increasingly, deepfake attacks. According to Zendesk’s 2025 Benchmark report, 56% of CX leaders say their organization suffered a customer data breach or cyberattack in the past year.
Deepfakes and failing security systems
One of the most troubling trends of 2025 is the rise of AI-generated voice deepfakes. With just a few seconds of audio, cybercriminals can clone a voice to bypass identity checks, reset accounts, or access personal information.
The FBI has warned about scammers using synthetic voices to impersonate government officials. According to Reality Defender, these attacks have already cost contact centers and their clients tens of millions.
Traditional security tools such as Knowledge-Based Authentication (KBA) are no longer practical. A Pindrop report found that deepfake attackers successfully bypassed KBA protocols more than 80% of the time, almost twice the success rate of real customers.
Credential theft remains widespread, with IBM’s 2025 X-Force Threat Intelligence Index showing that nearly one-third of incidents involve stolen login details. Internal weaknesses add to the risk. According to Secureframe, only 28% of contact centers believe their agents have advanced data privacy knowledge, despite human error being a factor in 74% of breaches.
How contact centers can prepare
To defend against these growing threats, contact centers must adopt a layered security strategy:
- Next-gen authentication. Combine biometric verification with AI-powered behavioral analysis and multifactor checks to strengthen defenses beyond voice recognition.
- AI-driven anomaly detection. Use machine learning to flag unusual activity patterns and detect fraud early.
- Agent training and awareness. Teach frontline staff to spot deepfakes and social engineering tactics with clear escalation procedures.
- Real-world simulations. Conduct red team exercises to test an agent’s response to phishing, impersonation, and urgent data requests.
- Callback and manual verification. Use manual callbacks when voice or request patterns seem suspicious.
As deepfakes and data breaches evolve, protecting trust and personal data requires more than tech upgrades. It demands vigilance, smarter defenses, and human readiness at every level.
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Fitzgerald, L. (2025, April 25). 5 Methods to Enhance Contact Center Security. Pindrop. Retrieved June 3, 2025, from https://www.pindrop.com/article/5-methods-to-enhance-contact-center-security/
Briones, J. A. (2025, June 2). Contact centers face surge in AI, deepfake-driven cyberattacks in 2025. Outsource Accelerator. Retrieved from https://news.outsourceaccelerator.com/contact-centers-face-surge-cyberattacks/
