With many people under shelter in place orders, video-conferencing apps are on the rise among businesses, organizations and educational institutions. The most popular of which is Zoom. However, the platform has recently been under fire due to a string of cyber attacks affecting user meetings. In light of these privacy concerns, we break down what ‘Zoom-booming’ is, and how to prevent it in your next meeting.
What is Zoom-Bombing?
In order to slow the spread of COVID-19, many employees are working remotely. For this reason, many workforces have been connecting and collaborating through video conferencing on Zoom. The only problem is that there’s a security threat called ‘Zoom-bombing’ on the rise.
How it Works
Video hijacking like this occurs when conferences are hosted on public channels like the internet. Since users log on through URLs, they’re virtually accessible to anyone. It’s as easy as hijackers simply guessing the right URL or meeting ID for a public Zoom, which gives them unfiltered access to the call.
The FBI even claims that there have been two Zoom-bombing attacks in Massachusetts, one of which happened in an online classroom. In the other, an individual entered a call and began displaying graphic images and videos.
Fortunately, there are a few easy ways to prevent a Zoom-bombing attack on your company’s next video conference.
How to Protect your Meeting from a Zoom-Bombing Attack
Restrict Screen-Sharing
One way to ensure your meeting isn’t a victim of Zoom-bombing is by preventing participants from screen sharing. That way, only the host can share screens if need be, which stops a random intruder from taking control and sharing unwanted content.
Utilize the Waiting Room
You can also control who enters your meetings by utilizing the Waiting Room feature. This puts all participants into a virtual staging area where you can admit them one by one, or all at once, to safeguard against Zoom-bombing.
Lock your Meetings
Just like you would for your own home, it’s wise to lock your Zoom meetings once they’ve begun. A locked meeting prevents new people from joining, even if they have the meeting ID and password.
Disable File Transfer
Also, if you don’t want hackers uploading graphic or unsolicited material during your video conferences, you’re going to want to turn off File Transfer. It’s really as simple as that.
Zoom-booming is certainly an unwanted feature of working from home. However, it’s easy to prevent, so Zoom responsibly.
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