The obligation to telework for many employees has made explode downloads of video conferencing applications.
Among the most used programs currently in the professional sphere, Zoom, the video meeting app has conquered a substantial number of new users. But not all of them use Zoom for productivity. Taking advantage of the new success of these applications, trolls and other hackers have found a new hobby: landing unexpectedly in a meeting (also called Zoom bombing), to abuse names or share pornographic content by using the screen sharing function.
To avoid these inconveniences, there are a certain number of good practices to adopt, and parameters to modify in the program. Here’s everything you need to know to secure your video meetings in Zoom.
1. Don’t share a meeting link on social media
This may seem like a common sense, but sharing the URL to join your video meeting on social media may not be the idea of the century. Visible to everyone, the meeting URL will allow anyone to click on it to join a video conference, without you being able to prevent it.
Because to create a meeting, the host must launch it on his computer, and share a link or a meeting identifier with his guests so that they can join the video call. So always opt for direct sharing of the link or identifier by e-mail, SMS, or private instant messaging.
2. Do not use your personal meeting ID
Creating meetings in Zoom can be done in two ways: from a virtual room created randomly at each meeting, with a new identifier for each session, or from a personal meeting room using your Personal Meeting ID (PMI).
So remember to check carefully from the New meeting drop-down menu, that the option Use my Personal Meeting ID (PMI) is disabled.
This unique identifier is attached to your account. And once it is known to your closest collaborators, they only have to enter it directly in Zoom to join the video call. If you use it, use it with caution, and only share it with your trusted contacts.
3. Configure a password to join the meeting
By default, Zoom does not configure a password to join a meeting. You will therefore have to go to the advanced settings of the application to activate the option.
To do this, from the Zoom window, click on the icon with a toothed wheel at the top right to enter the Settings.
In the window that appears, tab General, click on Show more settings. Zoom should open the service’s web interface. Log in to your account to access all of the advanced settings for your account.
Scroll through the settings and, if you have not already done so, activate the options Request password when scheduling new meetings and Request password for instant meetings.
People who try to access the meeting by manually entering their username in Zoom will be required to enter the associated password to enter.
4. Disable the integration of the password in the link to join in one click
When password protection is enabled, Zoom encrypts it and automatically integrates it into the meeting link to allow your guests to join the meeting with one click.
Disable this option to force people with the access link to enter the password. And if intruders accidentally get their hands on the meeting URL, they will not be able to access it.
5. Activate the waiting room
This is arguably the most attractive option for blocking unexpected meeting intrusions. It allows you to manually validate the entry of each participant in the meeting.
Again, the option is found in the advanced Zoom settings, accessible from the web interface.
6. Limit screen sharing to meeting host
To avoid spreading inappropriate content, during your meeting it is better to take the lead and limit screen sharing to the meeting host only.
Scroll through the advanced Zoom settings until you reach the Screen Sharing section. At the line Who can share? Please select Host only and save the changes.
7. Disable annotation and remote control tools
As a host, when you share your screen or desktop, users in the meeting can add annotations, use a whiteboard, or control the shared screen remotely.
If you don’t need it, deselect these three options, Annotation, Whiteboard and Remote control.
8. Disable file transfer
Hackers who successfully access your meeting will not hesitate to share malicious files via the file transfer module built into the instant chat built into the meeting.
To prevent participants from being able to transfer files, disable the File Transfer option, or restrict it to certain file types only.
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