Voice system used to verify identity by Centrelink can be fooled by AI

Exclusive: Voiceprint program used by millions of Australians to access data held by government agencies shown to have a serious security flaw

• Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast

A voice identification system used by the Australian government for millions of people has a serious security flaw, a Guardian Australia investigation has found.

Centrelink and the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) both give people the option of using a “voiceprint”, along with other information, to verify their identity over the phone, allowing them to then access sensitive information from their accounts.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup