If you opened a Zoom link earlier this week and noticed that passwords are now required to join a meeting, you are not alone.
Private Meetings Gone Public
Effective April 5th, Zoom has enabled passwords and virtual waiting rooms as the default setting. However, the new security measure only addresses a single item on a long list of privacy issues that could not hide behind a virtual background.
As the number of its users rocketed during the coronavirus crisis, the video-conferencing platform has also been increasingly criticised over security and privacy concerns. After weeks of negative press about end-to-end encryption, news of zoom-bombing and user data being routed through China, it is discovered that thousands of private user videos have been exposed online. In an effort to restore the reputation of the video-conferencing platform, Zoom CEO Eric Yuan publicly apologised and promised to proactively fix the issues.
Seeking Alternatives
In response to the rise in remote work, video conferencing is becoming the norm for companies around the world. While Zoom is receiving backlash for security and privacy concerns, users look to its competitors – Cisco Webex, Skype, etc. Many of them offer freemium plans to attract new users. Meanwhile, some members of the blockchain community have started turning to open-source alternatives and privacy-focused messaging apps.
Protect your data as much as your health. After all, security is only as strong as the weakest link.