- Zoom is taking steps to enhance the security settings for its app.
- The app will enable passwords for its meetings and will turn on default virtual waiting rooms.
- These changes are made to counter zoombombing incidents and the company’s CEO apologized to users for privacy and security issues of the app which the users had to face.
Zoom had to face backlash from its app users about their privacy concerns. According to the users, the security settings within the app are not up to the mark and the company needs to improve in this aspect. Zoom is taking steps to enhance the security features of its app after this criticism.
The company has stopped working on any other update for the app to focus on solving the already present privacy and security issue. Security experts also warned the users about privacy and security concerns while the NY Attorney Journal asked Zoom about the security measures it plans to implement or has implemented regarding users’ privacy concerns during the app’s surged usage due to COVID-19 lockdowns.
If an anonymous user will try to enter a meeting without an invite link by using only the meeting ID, the app will require a password from that user. Virtual waiting rooms will also be created by default within the app. So, the host will then have to manually allow the users to join the meeting. These changes will be made on April 5 and will apply to users who are using the free version of this app and those who are using the first level of paid services.
The company stated that they are continuously making efforts to provide their users with best secured virtual meeting rooms. The company announced the above-discussed changes and recommended its users to apply passwords to all of their meetings.
Zoom sent an email to its users providing the details of these changes which are being made to ensure the privacy of users. The email also confirmed that the company will enable passwords for already scheduled meetings too.
You can find the meeting password in the invite link and the Zoom client feature will show you passwords for instantly held meetings, and the meeting join URL will also display the passwords, Zoom explained in the email sent to its users.
When hackers enter an anonymous call to spread indecent or spammy content, users call it a zoombombing incident. These events affected online lectures and corporate meetings which are being held frequently over the platform after the coronavirus lockdowns. These events were taking place regularly invading the privacy of zoom app users. Attackers are creating huge lists of anonymous meeting IDs by using specific tools and they were able to join any anonymous Zoom call with these lists. Setting a password for the meeting was the only way to prevent these zoombombing events.
Eric Yuan, CEO Zoom apologized to the public for these issues and the company started to make changes to the security settings of the app. Yuan said that the initial purpose of this app was to serve businesses and they did not intend to create the app for consumers. The number of daily users increased to 200 million which was only 10 million at the end of December 2019. These facts refer to the struggles company is facing regarding its users’ privacy and security.
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