DeepNude

2020: Emergence of Telegram bots which create counterfeit "pornpictures" on the basis of DeepNude for blackmail

At the end of October, 2020 in Telegram the system of dipfeyk-bots which on demand generate counterfeit "pornpictures" was detected. Users substitute on such pictures of the person of familiar women taken from images from social networks and then send in public channels and chats or use for blackmail.

Researchers of cybersecurity company Sensity reported that till July, 2020 these bots generated and published more than 100,000 images. According to Sensity, over 70% of users of these channels are in Russia and neighboring countries. At the same time many channels which came into the view of Sensity are still active.

In Telegram there were bots which create counterfeit "pornpictures", women in large quantities are exposed to blackmail

Bots it is possible to use free of charge, but then they create false "pornpictures" with watermarks or cut off them. For obtaining full images it is enough to users to pay the commission in the amount of only several cents. Usually in these images it is possible to recognize easily counterfeit, but some part is rather realistic. "The rate for beginners" makes only 100 rubles for creation of 100 counterfeit "pornpictures" without watermarks within a week. Sensity states that some images created by bots include persons of minor children. The company reported that it contacted law enforcement agencies.

The software used for creation of these images is known as DeepNude. For the first time it is software on the basis of GAN model of artificial intelligence appeared in network in June, 2019, but his creator closed the website in several hours after emergence of publications in media. He was afraid that "people will begin to abuse it", and his concerns quite came true: Software began to extend on bekkanala, and, according to Sensity, DeepNude can be found in expanded forms in repositories open source and on a torrent websites for a long time.^[1]

2019: Start of service

At the end of June, 2019 it became known of start of DeepNude service which allows to undress the girl on the photo. The name of the developer of the application is unknown, however on its Twitter blog it is said that the product is developed by a "small command" from Estonia.

By the end of June, 2019 service issues effective result concerning only a fine half of mankind: if to upload a men's photo to the site, then in the picture female primary sexual characteristics most often appear. Developers promise to train a neuronet in the correct processing of photos in which men are represented. The program marks each picture with the watermark with the word "Fake".

The service undressing women in the photo in 30 seconds is started

Journalists of the Vice edition, having tested technology, noted that it is most realistic the processed photos in nu style turn out on girls in bathing suits.

By June 27, 2019 the Internet version of DeepNude was disconnected, and service is available only in the form of the program for operating systems Windows and Linux. Besides, in development there is a version for macOS. Cost software is $50, it is possible to try free of charge product capabilities in trial version.

Observers of Vice contacted DeepNude developer who was provided as Alberto. That told that on application creation he was inspired by advertizing of x-ray points which "take off" clothes from people.

I am not a voyeur, I am a technology enthusiast. I continue to improve the skill. Several my previous startups failed, and now I want to earn a little, – he explained.

According to the programmer, the algorithm pix2pix which uses the generative and competitive network trained at 10 thousand photos of nude women is the cornerstone of the program. Processing of the picture on the computer takes about 30 seconds. ^[2]

By June 28, 2019 because of big influx of users service was turned off. Developers promise to correct errors and to resume work as soon as possible.

See Also

• DeepFake

Notes