Lessons in Data security from recent hacks to Zoom 

While it seems like everyone was a fast and optimistic adopter of the video conferencing platform Zoom in response to the sudden shift to working from home, some concerning data security incidents have arisen from the pervasive use of the platform. While Zoom as a platform was easy to use, and a free resource suddenly needed by many who had never needed to use a video conferencing platform before, there was a clear downside. Zoom’s ease of use makes it easy for hackers to gain access to open Zoom meetings. Information-security professionals say Zoom’s security has a lot of holes. There are many lessons that can be learned from the hacks of Zoom calls.

Passwords Matter

While it might not seem like anyone would be interested in joining your team’s weekly quarantine happy hour, you would be surprised. Corporate espionage is a very real thing. Virtual corporate espionage is a much easier thing to do if teams are not bothering to take simple protective measures like putting a password on your meeting invites.

Also, make sure they’re good passwords. That means their easy to remember but hard to guess. Don’t use the same password for every Zoom meeting being held at your company. Don’t use the same passwords you use elsewhere, because once one password is broken, that can open many doors to hackers looking to simply see what they can get.

Related Article: Are password managers like 1Password truly secure for your office?

Evaluate the Programs You Choose to Use

While Zoom is an easy to use platform, it might not be the best fit for your data security needs. While they have recognized that they were unprepared for the massive growth in use earlier this year, and have made many changes to their backend to better respond to these issues, Zoom has been under a fair bit of scrutiny in regards to their privacy policies, which until recently seemed to give Zoom the right to do whatever it wanted with users’ personal data, and encryption policies, which have been considered misleading. If Zoom isn’t the right video conferencing tool for your company or your team, there are alternatives available. Microsoft Teams and Google Meet are two relatively new programs both growing in popularity. GoToMeeting is a more traditional but security-minded option as well. Shop around so you can be sure you are using the best platform for your needs.

Related Article: What should YOU do the moment you hear passwords have been compromised on a site you use?

Join Zoom Meetings through your Web Browser

If you do decide that Zoom is the right tool for you. Consider joining Zoom meetings through your web browser rather than using the Zoom desktop software. The web browser version gets security enhancements faster. It sits in a “sandbox” in the browser and doesn’t have the permissions an installed app has, limiting the amount of harm it can potentially cause. So 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.” Click that instead. It’ll provide you with that extra bit of security that might just make all the difference.

For more tips to boost your data security, connect with the team at Happy Faces Records Management today.

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