The “New Normal” of working from home has created a surge in the use of the video conferencing service Zoom. Zoom is now being used on a large scale by businesses, schools, and social groups, to keep all connected during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Eric Yuan, CEO of Zoom, stated that in December 2019, the maximum number of daily meeting participants conducted on Zoom was approximately 10 million. “In March this year, Zoom reached more than 200 million daily meeting participants, both free and paid.” Yuan further stated that 90,000 schools are using Zoom for online learning.
The popularity Zoom has enjoyed has also made it a target for hackers and pranksters. When an uninvited attendee disrupts a zoom meeting, it is known as “Zoom bombing.” Online classes and work meetings have been hijacked by this unwanted intrusion. Frequently the uninvited intruder shares pornography during a Zoom call with strangers, which causes security vulnerabilities and chaos.
As a result, the FBI has issued a warning about VTC hijacking — “Zoom Bombing” — and is providing guidance on enhancing the security of remote workplaces. Most importantly, they advise avoid sharing a Zoom meeting link in a public forum, since anyone with the link can join the meeting. Hijackers are actively searching for links on social media.
Zoom now has four new security setting to protect your meetings to regain users’ trust:
- Meeting password: This was already a feature, but it is now turned on by default.
- Waiting room: As of March 31, a waiting room is a default for all meetings. With a waiting room, you can leave uninvited participants in the virtual waiting room before being admitted.
- Security icons: Previously hidden security features are now on the host’s menu bar.
- Improved encryption upgrade: The new upgrade offers more protection and privacy.
To protect your remote workplace from cyberattacks contact Charles Leach Agency at 1-888-275-3224 or info@leachagency.com.