To Zoom or Not To Zoom
That is the question given the recent press on issues with Zoom and security. With the global COVID-19 pandemic results in a surge of remote workers, Zoom was the go-to video conferencing platform due to its robust free version and ease of use. The rise in many users without experience in conducting video teleconferencing exposed gaps in the Zoom platform around security became apparent.
Recommendations
Recently, the FBI released guidance on defending against video teleconferencing or VTC Zoom-bombing and hijacking. Here are their recommendations when using the platform:
- Do not make meetings public. In Zoom, there are two options to make a meeting private: require a meeting password or use the waiting room feature and control the admittance of guests.
- Do not share a link to a teleconference on an unrestricted publicly available social media post. Provide the link directly to specific people.
- Manage screen-sharing options. Change screen sharing to “Host-Only.”
- Ensure users are using the updated version of remote access/meeting applications. In January 2020, Zoom updated their software. In their security update, the teleconference software provider added passwords by default for meetings and disabled the ability to scan for sessions to join randomly.
- Lastly, ensure that your organization’s telework policy or guide addresses requirements for physical and information security.
Through statements, Zoom is responding to the security gaps. At this present time, end-to-end encryption is not available. That poses an issue for businesses and schools that have chosen it as a significant piece in their communications.
Alternatives
What to do? There are options. One is the continued use of Zoom with the security recommendations. Or search for other VTC options. There are a few out there, such as WebEx or GoToMeetings, which are two popular ones. Skype is an old stand-by. Depending on what type of meeting you are conducting, different platforms could be used for security.
More tips on working remotely.
