Many people observe that their social media accounts are flooded with images of family members or friends created algorithmically. The software, Lensa AI, has recently gone viral following the release of a new tool designed for creating attractive CGI-looking avatars based on your photos. According to Statista, over 5.8 million people have already downloaded the Lensa AI photo editing app. Ever since, users have been sharing their AI-crafted characters in their posts and stories.
The rapid increase in the use of Lensa AI has raised concerns as employees across the globe are deeply engrossed in its “magic avatar” features. Although there are other image editing apps like Remini, Voila, Luminar AI, etc. cybersecurity experts have warned users to desist from using these applications due to some security reasons. If your employees have taken to using one of these editing apps, as a business owner, you should be concerned.
Why Should Business Owners Be Concerned If Their Employees Use Lensa AI or Similar Apps?
Although photo editing apps, especially Lensa AI, are becoming increasingly popular and have emerged as one of the top apps on Apple’s list, there have been several concerns. What Lensa is doing with images after they are submitted is a risk to any user, and data privacy is a big concern.Â
Although the company asserts that it doesn’t retain images, do you think you could trust them? Â Actually, no. You might be surprised by the types of infringements these platforms frequently get away with if you are willing to ask your friends who are artists and are more familiar with the model Lensa AI follows – The Stable Diffusion Model.
You might wonder why such a beautiful application might be dangerous. After all, using one’s photographs in these apps is only a harmless and fun thing to do. It’s vital to have a good understanding of how AI was developed in terms of the aims of large organizations to respond to these relatively harmless questions.
The Security Issues Surrounding Lensa AI and Similar Apps
The following are security concerns surrounding image editing apps that business owners should be concerned about if their employees are using them:Â
User authentication and biometric dataÂ
In addition to being a valued resource for AI models, biometric data is frequently employed for access control and user authentication. Using biometric verification by organizations, border controls, and governments has become more popular worldwide. Examples include fingerprint scanning and facial recognition.
Therefore, as a business owner, imagine third-party businesses, having confidential details about your business or access to your employees’ details. Don’t you think it is risky?
The app’s open-ended policy
The risk of disclosing other information elements to any organization while using its applications or website occurs in addition to the risks associated with biometric data, including AI’s possible dangers. For instance, companies could sell your data to other businesses or third parties. These data include your OS, IP address, mobile network data, and additional personally identifiable information.
Trending businesses can become easy targets
Any business or app that quickly attracts a wide range of users can be subject to the danger of being an easy target for hackers. Hackers are keen to prey on new and prosperous businesses because of their increased income and a typical lack of cybersecurity competence.
Data is our new oil
As the adage goes, data is the new oil and is now a luxury in this twenty-first century. Most people equate data with numbers and statistics, but data can also take other forms. Everyone is aware of how important it is to secure their login information and bank account details. However, few people realize that images represent data even though they contain diverse information, including time, location, and biometrics.
In the same way, images with biometric data—such as features and expressions—can become a helpful tool for AI models.
Profitable assets can also be dangerous. Sharing images with biometric data might be risky security-wise because AI models can be used maliciously to create fake photos and videos with inaccurate information and offensive content.
Concerns have also been raised regarding the business’s privacy policy, which states that user-uploaded photographs would be used to enhance Lensa’s algorithms. As a result, in this situation, not only are you buying the application itself but also upgrading the technology features of the app with your data.
We must be extremely cautious with what we save and share with those smartphone image editing applications.
AhelioTech Can Help With Practical Ways to Combat Security IssuesÂ
AhelioTech’s team of professional IT consultants is based in Columbus, Ohio. We can assist you in making the technologies you use daily more secure.
