Video conferencing and meetings have become the norm in the midst of the pandemic. Although we used these services pre-Covid, the level of use has skyrocketed since the start of the pandemic. Remote working has led to an increase in cyber security tasks, and video conferencing is no different.  

Most of us would never think a short video call with a few team members could cause any sort of cyber security threat. But as we all know, hackers are much smarter than we think. With the rise in video conferencing for the foreseeable future, it’s important we educate ourselves on the risks, and how we can work to minimize them.

What cyber security issues are we seeing with video conferencing? 

• Sending IOS user analytics data to Facebook, even when the users don’t have Facebook accounts.
• People digging for LinkedIn details and then sharing them with other meeting participants.
• Hackers making claims about their end-to-end encryption.
• Hackers harbor bugs that could lead to password theft. This would grant access to a webcam and microphone.
• Leaking of users’ email addresses and photos.
• Meetings being recorded and stored on the web.

How can I make sure my video calls are protected? 

• When you create a meeting, make sure you generate a meeting ID, versus using your personal meeting ID number or room Your PMI is permanently linked to your account and if it gets out, there’s a chance it could fall into the wrong person’s hands. And because the URL format of your personal room only varies slightly from others in the organization, it would be easier for a hacker to determine what the other employee’s personal room URLs are, therefore increasing the risk. 
• Always require a password to join meetings. Even if it’s a meeting you have daily, weekly, etc., you should always include a password. 
• Use the waiting room feature. This ensures that only the people you are expecting to join are the only ones who can join the meeting, since you can see them all before accepting them to join. 
• Use a co-host for each meeting. This is a good habit to do anyway, regardless of the cyber security factor. The second person’s job can be to monitor participants, and make sure no one unexpected is turning up. They can also kick someone out if they are being disruptive. We find this tactic is particularly helpful for conferences and webinars, as guests will typically be outside your organization’s employees. 
• Avoid screen sharing where you can. We know this is required at times for the meetings purposes, but limit it if you can. 
• Make sure you’re keeping your video conferencing software up to date. This helps eliminate bugs as the software updates, which reduces the risk of a glitch. 

Has your organization experienced any video conferencing pitfalls during the pandemic? How did you work to overcome those challenges? We’d love to know! Leave us a comment below. 

Thinline Technologies provides dependable IT consulting services and expert computer and network support to Businesses in the Baltimore metro area. In addition, we provide network administration, technology planning and help desk services.We focus on providing solutions that increase the productivity and profitability of your business, at a reasonable price. Visit our services page for more info, and contact us today.