Communicating Amid Coronavirus: FBI Warns Video Meeting Users Of 'Zoom-Bombing'
SACRAMENTO (CBS) — Just when you thought it was safe to video conference without interruption, law enforcement is warning people of "Zoom-bombing."
While more people are using video conferencing platforms like Zoom and Facetime, reports are increasing of hackers trying to disrupt those meetings. The FBI said Monday that two Massachusetts schools have been the victims of "Zoom-bombing" this month, reports CBSBoston.com.
"The FBI has received multiple reports of conferences being disrupted by pornographic and/or hate images and threatening language," the agency said in a statement.
Someone reportedly dialed into a Massachusetts high school class conducting a meeting using the Zoom software and "yelled a profanity and then shouted the teacher's home address in the middle of instruction," the FBI said.
In another incident, someone was able to access a Zoom meeting and show swastikas on a video.
CNET's Ian Sherr said "Zoom-bombing" is very easy, especially when the link to the meeting is publicized.
"The best thing you can do is control who's coming into your conference call, by setting up a password or only giving out the link to specific people," Sherr told CBS Los Angeles.
Zoom shares these tips for keeping video meetings secure:
- Remember that anyone can join your meeting if the link is shared to social media, you're potentially showing it to a large audience.
- Use a random meeting ID instead of your personal meeting ID to host events.
- Enable the waiting room feature to decide who can enter the meeting.
- Lock the meeting after it starts so that no one else can join.
- Only allow the host to have control of screen sharing.
- Disable file-sharing so people aren't flooded with content
Zoom has more tips on directions on how to use all these features here.
