By Locking down meetings
Don’t use consumer-grade software or plans for business meetings. Consumer tools most likely don’t have all the administrative tools you need to lock things down. While no videoconferencing service can guarantee 100% protection from threats, you’ll get a more complete set of security tools with products geared for enterprise use, many of which are being offered for free for the next several months.
Do use waiting room features in conferencing software.
Do make sure password protection is enabled. Make sure that your service uses both a meeting ID number and a string, but in addition, that it also has a separate password or PIN.
Don’t share links to teleconferences or classrooms via social media posts.
Don’t allow participants to screen share by default. Once a meeting has begun, the host can allow specific participants to share when appropriate.
Don’t use video on a call if you don’t need to. Turning off your webcam and listening in via audio prevents possible social engineering efforts to learn more about you through background objects.
Do use the latest version of the software.
Do eject participants from meetings if an intruder is able to get in or becomes unruly.
Do lock a meeting once all the participants have joined the call.
Don’t record meetings unless you need to.
Do educate all employees who host meetings on the specific steps they should take in the software your company uses to ensure their conferences are secure.
Gabriel Friedlander, the CEO of security awareness training firm Wizer, posted a list on LinkedIn of recommended security settings for people who use Zoom:
- Turn off [Participants Video]. They can turn it back on once you allow them to join.
- Turn off [Join before host]
- Turn off [Use Personal Meeting ID (PMI) when scheduling a meeting]
- Turn off [Use Personal Meeting ID (PMI) when starting an instant meeting]
- Turn on [Require a password when scheduling new meetings]
- Turn on [Mute participants upon entry]
- Turn on [Play sound when participants join or leave] (this is heard by host only).
- Turn on [Screen Sharing] – host only
- Turn off [Annotation]
- Turn on [Breakout room] – allows host to assign participants to breakout room scheduling.
- In the advanced settings, hosts should Turn on [Waiting Room] feature.
While these settings are specific to Zoom, any videoconferencing software you use should offer similar settings.