Table of Contents
Zoom has become an ever-present platform for video conferencing, webinars, online classes, and other virtual events since COVID-19 happened.
While it has provided an essential service for people worldwide, it has also been a target for cybercriminals due to its popularity surge.
So, we must understand the risks attached to Zoom and take proactive measures to protect ourselves from the potential zoom security issues we’ll explore in this article.
Following are some of the security issues on Zoom.
Zoom-bombing is a term used when uninvited individuals hijack a Zoom meeting and disrupt it with offensive or inappropriate content. This can happen if you share meeting links publicly, and anyone with the link can join the meeting.
For example, a Zoom meeting about cyberattacks was interrupted by such an attack on March 30. During the presentation, which covered the topic of coronavirus disinformation on social media platforms such as Reddit, Facebook, and Twitter, a Zoom bomber drew all over the screen, resulting in the meeting being cut short.
Zoom, in the beginning, had claimed to offer end-to-end encryption, which would have ensured that only the sender and receiver of the communication could access the content.
But, it was later discovered that Zoom’s encryption standards were not up to par with industry standards, and the company was accused of misleading users about its encryption policies. This vulnerability could easily allow cybercriminals to intercept and access your data.
Zoom was criticized for not providing users with adequate information about the data it collects and how it is used. Also, the company was accused of sharing users’ data with Facebook, even for those who did not have a Facebook account.
The company faced a lawsuit for this practice as well in which Zoom had to pay a settlement of $85 million for the violation of users’ privacy rights and also agreed to upgrade its security practices.
Zoom also generated meeting IDs which had about a 14% rate of being hacked by a tool named zWarDial. This vulnerability was exposed by some hackers themselves who also shared that having a valid meeting ID also compromises data like meeting date, time, organizer’s name, and all the information about the topic of discussion.
With such lax security provided by Zoom, around 352 accounts and information attached with them like Email Addresses, passwords, and host names were found on Dark Web by a security firm called Sixgill. It also showed how these accounts included US healthcare providers, some small businesses, and many educational firms among many other personal accounts as well.
Following are some Zoom security issues ranging in severity levels:
Here are some steps that you can take to mitigate Zoom security issues/risks.
Ensure that you are using the latest version of Zoom as it includes security patches and fixes that have been identified in previous versions.
The waiting room is a feature that allows the host to control when participants join the meeting. This helps prevent unauthorized users from accessing the meeting and reduces the risk of “Zoom bombing.”
It’s important to use strong passwords for your Zoom meetings. Make sure that passwords are complex, with a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid using predictable passwords that can be easily guessed.
Try not to share meeting links publicly on social media or any other public forum. Instead, send the link directly to the participants you want to invite to the meeting.
Zoom offers various authentication options such as SSO, LDAP, and MFA, which can help reduce the risk of unauthorized access.
Limit screen sharing to only the hosts or designated presenters. This will prevent participants from sharing inappropriate content during the meeting.
If you are using breakout sessions, use the waiting room feature for each breakout session to prevent unauthorized participants from joining.
Using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) can provide an additional layer of security when using Zoom. A VPN creates a secure, encrypted connection between your device and the internet, protecting your online activity from prying eyes.
Following are the benefits of using a VPN for Zoom.
VPN is that it can help protect your privacy by masking your IP address. This is important because when you connect to Zoom, your IP address is visible to the other participants in the meeting. By using a VPN, you can hide your IP address and prevent others from tracking your online activity.
With a VPN, all of your Zoom traffic is encrypted, making it much more difficult for hackers to intercept and access your data. This can help protect your sensitive information, such as your login credentials and meeting content, from being stolen or compromised.
When choosing a VPN for Zoom, it’s important to select one that is reputable and trustworthy like PureVPN.
Here are some of the reasons why you should consider using PureVPN for Zoom:
The process is simple:
“Zoom Bombing” is used to describe the act of uninvited guests entering a Zoom meeting or webinar and disrupting it.
Zoom can become unstable due to poor internet connection, network congestion, outdated software, insufficient system resources, and conflicts with other apps or software.
The issue is that it can be exploited by potential attackers to gain unauthorized access if not password protected to a Zoom meeting or webinar.
Yes, you can use a free VPN for Zoom, but it’s not recommended. Free VPNs often have limited server options, and slower speeds, and may log your online activity or display ads.
Zoom security issues have become a major concern for individuals and organizations alike due to various vulnerabilities and threats like Zoom Bombing, unsecured meetings, lack of end-to-end encryption, and more.
To mitigate these risks, it’s important to use strong passwords, enable waiting rooms, keep the software up-to-date, and use a reliable VPN service. For any assistance regarding VPN, feel free to reach us via the LiveChat option.