Is zoom safe to download and use
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5 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Use Zoom Anymore - Is Zoom safe to use yet?
Zoom privacy risks: The video chat app could be sharing more information than you think - CNET.
Its stock price increased by more than percent over the course of the year. It has now become an essential app for businesses, groups of socially-distant friends, and even entire families. But is Zoom safe? Stories about the app's security and privacy issues have been lurking throughout its rise. Let's take a closer look at some of the biggest Zoom security concerns you need to know about. Yes, Zoom-bombing is a thing. Much like photo-bombing, which sees people insert themselves into unsuspecting people's snaps, Zoom-bombing refers to the practice of users logging into Zoom calls that they were not invited to.
But how is Zoom-bombing possible? Zoom uses a unique meeting ID number for every chat on its platform. The number is between nine and 11 digits long and is used to get access to a conference. However, meeting ID numbers can be easily guessed. As a result, pranksters are joining calls and creating havoc using features such as screen sharing. At best, it's very annoying. At worst, it compromises your data, especially if you are on a confidential business call.
The solution is simple—set a password for every Zoom call you participate in. Zoom has also introduced a way to suspend participants' activities, meaning you can boot imposters out of your call. Read our comprehensive guide to Zoom-bombing to learn more. If you want to use Zoom on a desktop machine, you have two options: the desktop app or the web app. You should always use the web browser version; this gets new security enhancements much faster than the desktop app.
And aside from the updates, the web version is still more secure. That's because it lives in a browser's sandbox, meaning it has far fewer permissions and a reduced ability to cause issues across your entire operating system.
If you'd prefer to use an app for Zoom, consider Skype for Business. It has a secure Zoom integration. At the start of , Zoom heavily advertised its end-to-end encryption as a key feature. In theory, that means that all communications between you and the other people in your chat would only be visible to those parties; nobody could decrypt them.
The claims were quickly shown to be false. Data was encrypted, but only between you and the Zoom servers. While that means that snoopers and local hackers on your public Wi-Fi network would not be able to see your calls, Zoom employees could see everything. Therefore, if a government or law enforcement agency were to request access to your chats, they could easily get them.
In late October , Zoom did finally roll out true end-to-end encryption, but the entire episode left a bad taste and showed Zoom could not be trusted as a business. Head to Settings and toggle Allow use of end-to-end encryption to enable the feature. The decision, issued by U. It was agreed that Zoom would have yearly internal security reviews and external security reviews every other year and must implement a vulnerability management program.
Another stipulation was that Zoom offers customers multi-factor authentication , which it has already implemented. Certainly, a big step in the right direction. But for social get-togethers and workplace meetings that stick to routine business , Zoom is safe enough. Of course, there are a few security best practices to follow when using the platform to keep you extra secure.
Back in April last year, I wrote an article about how to stay safe on Zoom that included tips on how to set up your account and how to schedule, share and host your meetings safely. Since then, Zoom has faced more criticism over its security, so what else can you do to keep your business safe?
Treat Zoom like any other account and apply the basics to protect your account. Never use the same password twice, if Zoom were to suffer a breach that password could be used to try and access other corporate accounts. Be sure to use a strong and unique password, if you have a password manager, they should generate one for you.
If you do, anyone who knows your PMI can join any meeting you host, so share this information wisely. As mentioned above, Zoom phishing campaigns are a popular way for bad actors to steal your account details. Use the tips above to determine whether the email is legit. If in doubt, get in touch with your IT department for advice.
Setting a unique and strong password for each meeting remains the best way of ensuring that only the people you want in your meeting can attend. Last year, Zoom made the sensible move to turn password protection on by default.
But just to be clear, your zoom account password and meeting password are not the same — they are two different passwords. You should also avoid reusing meeting passwords. While you may find that the quality of your video call is better on the app, the web browser version gets security enhancements much faster. And aside from the updates, the web version is still more secure. That's because it lives in a browser's sandbox, meaning it has far fewer permissions and a reduced ability to cause issues across your entire operating system.
When you click a link to join a meeting, your browser will open a new tab and prompt you to use or install the Zoom desktop software. But in the fine print, there's a link to "join from your browser. So, there you have it; providing you take the right preventative measures and only use Zoom where it is appropriate, you should be okay. Netitude has been delivering secure, reliable and productive IT for business growth, since If your business needs advice, additional IT support or business technology solutions, get in touch with one of our experts today, we're always happy to help!
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