‘Zoom-bombing’ attacks on video conferencing platform- Zoom: FBI Warns Zoom Users

According to CNN- “amid the coronavirus pandemic video conference app Zoom surges in downloads and now the federal officials are warning of a new potential privacy and security concern called Zoombombing.”

The social network platform of the moment is Zoom, a videoconferencing service app. The app is currently getting more app downloads than Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter. As the coronavirus pandemic has forced millions around the globe to work from home, the demand for the app increased so much as it provides a remote conferencing service that combines video conferencing, online meetings, chats, etc. The 9-year-old app has emerged as the go-to service for not only virtual corporate meetings but classroom lessons, happy hours and parties.


As reported by some app users that their calls have been hijacked by unknown individuals it figured as cyber harassment and called as “Zoombombing.” They also stated that they are facing hateful language or graphic images on the app.

The term “Zoombombing” has become so common that this week the FBI issued a news release to advise and warns people of the threat. After receiving multiple reports that video conference calls being interrupted by “pornographic or hate images and threatening language, the FBI issued a news release on 30^th March.

According to fbi.gov, the following steps can be taken to moderate hijacking threats:

• Do not make meetings or classrooms public on the app.
  
  
• Provide the link directly to specific people, and not share a link to a teleconference on an unrestricted publicly available social media post.
  
  
• In the app, change screensharing to “Host Only.”
  
  
• Ensure to use the updated version of remote access/meeting applications.
  
  
• Make sure that your organization’s telework policy deals with requirements for physical and information security.
  

On 2^nd April, a spokesperson for Zoom told CNN in an email that- “the company is aware of the FBI’s recent press release and appreciates all efforts to raise awareness around how to best prevent these kinds of attacks.”

“We are deeply upset to hear about the incidents involving this type of attack and we strongly condemn such behavior,” the spokesperson added in the email statement.

Cover Image Source- indianexpress.com