Having Your Videoconference Hacked is a Real Threat
Remote working during the pandemic caused most of us to adapt into online meeting masters. We regularly host team meetings, contact our members, and conduct all sorts of business via the myriad of online meeting platforms. We have grown more comfortable with these platforms and types of meetings, and activists have identified them as a vulnerable point in most organizations.
You have probably seen a photo where a toddler, animal, stranger, or loved one unexpectedly appears as a “photobomb”. While those accidents can be amusing, when someone gains access to your online business meeting to disrupt you or with criminal intent, it is anything but funny.
A couple of months ago a group of protestors wanting to disrupt and harm a client of ours targeted an important videoconference critical to their mission. We were able to make some adjustments to the meeting platform and some recommendations to the organizers to protect the gathering, the attendees, and the organization. With the tips and insights below, you will be able to protect yourself and your credit union, while enjoying all the benefits this technology affords us.
In this edition of Investment in Crisis Management Series we are going to address “Zoom Bombing”. Any Zoom video call has the potential to be attended by people not formally invited to the meeting. “Zoom Bombing” occurs when unwanted visitors or hackers disrupt a Zoom meeting. They can modify aspects of the call such as unmuting themselves, sharing their video, or sharing their screen (possibly sharing inappropriate or inflammatory content).
While we are referring to these intrusions as “Zoom Bombing”, the same principles apply whether you are using Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, WebEx, or any other format.
These online meeting platforms are designed to be easy for your entire team to access. They provide virtual face-to-face communication and for remote workers, provide a solid base for team building and productivity.
Unfortunately, they can also be relatively easy for unwanted visitors to access unless you take some precautions before starting your meeting. While you would think that hackers may not be interested in your weekly update with your team, they may be interested in disrupting your organization. And they may find great interest in calls involving business strategy, earnings reports, examiner meetings, or other critical operational matters.
Speaking specifically about Zoom, the top recommendation to protect from potential Zoom hacking threats is to create a Zoom webinar instead of a Zoom meeting. You can still invite anyone you want, but because webinars are in presentation format, they are less likely to be hacked. With a paid Zoom account, you can run a webinar versus a meeting. You may want to investigate whether your credit union has (and uses) a paid account; the size of your credit union and need for meeting attendees may dictate which type of account you need. Typically, free Zoom meeting licenses can host up to 100 attendees, and a paid subscription can hold up to 1,000 attendees.
And here are several other ways to safeguard your online meeting from disruption.
Disable Guest Screen Sharing
By restricting screen sharing to the host, you can prevent anyone else from being able to display what is on their desktop. It will not stop anyone from joining your meeting, but it will at least keep them from taking over the meeting and sharing inappropriate material.
Require Host to be Present for the Meeting
This tactic ensures that nothing can start without you or selected representative(s) from your team as the primary host. Sounds simple, but often the account may be registered with the CEO, IT, or other executives. Be sure to check should others in your organization lead meetings.
Keep the Meeting ID private (if possible)
Do not share the details on social media if you do not want members of the public (or hackers) to join.
Use a Password
This tactic is easy to do and can have an immediate impact. Share the password with only those individuals you intend to include in this meeting.
Remote working during the pandemic caused most of us to adapt into online meeting masters. We regularly host team meetings, contact our members, and conduct all sorts of business via the myriad of online meeting platforms. We have grown more comfortable with these platforms and types of meetings, and activists have identified them as a vulnerable point in most organizations.