Toward Robust Deepfake Defense: A Review of Deepfake Detection and Prevention Techniques in Images
Ahmed Abdel-Wahab1, Mohammad Alkhatib2,*
1 Faculty of Computer Studies, Arab Open University, P.O. Box 8490, Riyadh, 11681, Saudi Arabia
2 Department of Computer Science, College of Computer and Information Sciences, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), P.O. Box 5701, Riyadh, 11432, Saudi Arabia
* Corresponding Author: Mohammad Alkhatib. Email: 
Computers, Materials & Continua https://doi.org/10.32604/cmc.2025.070010
Received 05 July 2025; Accepted 14 October 2025; Published online 20 November 2025
Abstract
Deepfake is a sort of fake media made by advanced AI methods like Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs). Deepfake technology has many useful uses in education and entertainment, but it also raises a lot of ethical, social, and security issues, such as identity theft, the dissemination of false information, and privacy violations. This study seeks to provide a comprehensive analysis of several methods for identifying and circumventing Deepfakes, with a particular focus on image-based Deepfakes. There are three main types of detection methods: classical, machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL)-based, and hybrid methods. There are three main types of preventative methods: technical, legal, and moral. The study investigates the effectiveness of several detection approaches, such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs), frequency domain analysis, and hybrid CNN-LSTM models, focusing on the respective advantages and disadvantages of each method. We also look at new technologies like Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) and blockchain-based frameworks. The essay looks at the use of algorithmic protocols, watermarking, and blockchain-based content verification as possible ways to stop certain things from happening. Recent advancements, including adversarial training and anti-Deepfake data generation, are essential because of their potential to alleviate rising concerns. This review shows that there are major problems, such as the difficulty of improving the capabilities of existing systems, the high running expenses, and the risk of being attacked by enemies. It stresses the importance of working together across fields, including academia, business, and government, to create robust, scalable, and ethical solutions. The main goals of future work should be to create lightweight, real-time detection systems, connect them to large language models (LLMs), and put in place worldwide regulatory frameworks. This essay argues for a complete and varied plan to keep digital information real and build confidence in a time when media is driven by artificial intelligence. It uses both technical and non-technical means.
Keywords
Deepfake detection; deepfake prevention; generative adversarial networks (GANs); digital media integrity; artificial intelligence ethics
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