‘Zoombombers’ beware: Company says it’s cracking down on security

The virtual meeting platform Zoom is booming in the age of the coronavirus pandemic, with daily use growing from about 10 million users to 300 million in just months, NPR reported.

But as companies and schools began widespread use of Zoom, a new type of trolling came with it: ‘Zoombombing.’ Hackers intercept public video chats and bombard the group with violent or pornographic images, McClatchy News previously reported

Some instances of Zoombombing were a result of the platform’s loose security regulations, prompting attorneys general in New York, Connecticut and Florida to open investigations into the company, CNBC reported. The New York City Department of Education placed a 90-day ban on Zoom use in early April after hackers increasingly targeted meetings, according to CNBC.

Zoom struck a deal with New York Attorney General Letitia James, agreeing to do more to prevent hackers from interfering in video chats, NPR reported.

“Our lives have inexorably changed over the past two months, and while Zoom has provided an invaluable service, it unacceptably did so without critical security protections,” James said in a statement obtained by NPR. “This agreement puts protections in place so that Zoom users have control over their privacy and security, and so that workplaces, schools, religious institutions, and consumers don’t have to worry while participating in a video call.”

Zoom is aiming to implement “more robust encryption” in its chats by purchasing Keybase, “a secure messaging and file-sharing service,” Reuters reported. The company says it will release a draft encryption policy design May 22 before implementing the new feature, according to Reuters.

“We are also investigating mechanisms that would allow enterprise users to provide additional levels of authentication,” Eric Yuan, CEO of Zoom, wrote in a blog post.

New York regulators included a “vulnerability management program” requirement, to identify and prevent breaches of streamed conversations, in their deal with Zoom, NPR reported. Zoom says it will now investigate “reported bad actors” and “ban those who violate the company’s anti-abuse policies,” according to NPR.

Zoom will send a copy of its annual data security assessment to the New York AG’s office for the duration of their agreement, according to CNBC. Zoom previously agreed to “stop sharing user data” with Facebook and LinkedIn, CNBC reported.

This story was originally published May 7, 2020 at 5:04 PM with the headline "‘Zoombombers’ beware: Company says it’s cracking down on security."