Rubio impersonator using AI contacted foreign ministers, cable says

A concerning incident unfolded last month when an individual used an artificially generated voice to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio. This imposter contacted three foreign ministers and two U.S. officials, pretending to be the top U.S. diplomat, according to a diplomatic cable seen by Reuters. The impersonation attempts occurred in mid-June, with the perpetrator reaching out via the Signal messaging app, leaving voicemails for at least two individuals, and sending text messages to initiate communication on Signal.

The diplomatic cable, dated July 3, suggested that 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." While the State Department is investigating the matter and states there's "no direct cyber threat" to the department itself, it warned that "information shared with a third party could be exposed if targeted individuals are compromised." In response, the cable was sent to all diplomatic and consular posts, advising staff to warn external partners about fake accounts and impersonations. The specific identities of the foreign ministers and U.S. politicians targeted were not revealed.

Broader Context and Previous Incidents
This incident aligns with a warning issued by the FBI in mid-May, which highlighted malicious actors using text messages and AI-generated voice messages to impersonate senior U.S. officials. The FBI noted that these schemes aim to gain access to personal accounts of state and federal government officials, potentially to target other government personnel, their associates, or to elicit sensitive information or funds.

Although the perpetrator of the Rubio impersonation was not identified in the cable, it did reference a similar effort in April that was attributed to a Russia-linked hacker. In that instance, the individual conducted a phishing campaign specifically targeting think tanks, Eastern European activists and dissidents, and former State Department officials. This perpetrator demonstrated "extensive knowledge of the department's naming conventions and internal documentation," posing as a State Department official using fake "@state.gov" email addresses and official logos. Industry partners have since linked that particular campaign to a cyber actor associated with the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service.

These sophisticated impersonation attempts are part of a growing trend. This latest incident comes weeks after reports of a U.S. federal investigation into an effort to impersonate White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, and follows a crisis where information about military strikes on Yemen was accidentally shared in a Signal group chat involving a journalist and former national security adviser Mike Waltz. These events underscore the evolving risks of digital impersonation and the critical need for vigilance in official communications.

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