The idea of conversing with a theoretical FBI agent monitoring us through our phones and laptops has become somewhat laughable of late. Still, personal security is a serious subject, and the world of video conferencing is no exception.
No matter what activities you may be participating in, the essence of being safe and secure in doing so is extremely important. Society devalues eavesdroppers and gossipers, but breaching into a private video call or conference is doing just that!
Let’s venture into the best practices of video conferencing security so you can protect yourself and your calls from unwanted visitors.
Your Guide To Video Conferencing Security Best Practices: General Tips To Follow
As the ways of the world are shifting, and typical boardroom meetings have moved into bedrooms as workers transition from operating in the office to online, we have all been forced to make adjustments. Having to use new video conferencing platforms can be confusing enough, but adding on the need for extra security precautions can make it worse. But there’s no need to worry: we’ve gathered some of the best and simplest measures you can take to protect yourself on any platform.
Stay away from using public meeting rooms. Create new and individualized meeting IDs for each conference scheduled.
Create strong passwords that extend far beyond anyone’s guessing capabilities. Only share this information with individuals joining the meeting and refrain from making any passwords public.
Enable the “Announce When Users Enter” notification for all meetings, allowing you to be aware when anyone, especially unwanted guests, join.
If possible, enable the “waiting room” for meetings, so the host can grant or deny access to anyone attempting to join.
When sharing your screen, try to share only specific applications and not your entire desktop, lessening the risk of exposing other private information.
These general tips will help you be more mindful of your security when entering the realms of video conferencing; however, security problems have been more prevalent on certain platforms than others. Learning of ways to better protect yourself in each of these spaces will leave you in the most secure position possible.
Zoom: What You Need To Know
Zoom has emerged as one of the most popular video conferencing platforms to date! Whether it be classroom lectures, office meetings, or virtually hangouts with friends, Zoom is an extremely user-friendly tool available for individuals to utilize; however, it's easy-to-navigate nature means that extra security precautions are necessary to ensure the safety of you and your data.
When logging onto your Zoom account, open the “Advanced Options” tab, where you will find many different settings available for a more secure meeting. The first box you will want to check is “Require Meeting Password,” which will ensure that your call is password protected. You will also want to have the settings default with the host and participants' video screen off, leaving it up to the individuals to decide what they are comfortable with sharing.
Other advanced settings, such as “Enable Waiting Room”, “Mute Participants on Entry”, and “Only Authenticated Users Can Join” are important security options to consider enforcing.
The Ins and Outs of WebEx
WebEx is another platform that provides users with the ability to conference virtually. Being that its free plan allows for meetings of up to 100 people, in addition to offering screen sharing privileges, HD video, and a personal room, WebEx has become extremely popular. However, just as with any platform, you must be sure to take proper security precautions while using.
One great security tool that WebEx offers is the auto-lock of personal meeting rooms; essentially, this tool acts as though you are locking the boardroom door, keeping unwanted intruders from entering. Similarly to Zoom, WebEx meetings can also require passwords and offers for them not to be listed on the meeting invitation. This will help to ensure that even if others come across the invitation, they cannot bombard the meeting. Additionally, hosts contain the powers of expulsion and are able to remove attendees at any point. With the help of this option and many more, you can ensure a safe video conference.
Keeping You and Your Data Safe
Just as with other private matters, the information being shared during video conferences should be kept to only those involved. With technology, word travels fast, but we are here to prevent the unnecessary spread of such information. In an effort to minimize any security breaches, consider these video conferencing security best practices to help keep your business as just your business!