How to Secure your Video Conferencing Calls
Why securing your video conferencing is important and how to do it.
Yes, haven't we all heard the stories by now. Video bombing, spam in chat boxes and stolen meeting links to video chats. Work from home orders has created an environment where our only option to meet is a video conference from our basement, kitchen tables or where ever we have found space to set up our home office. You may be one of many who are using video chats for the first time, enjoying their ease of use but unknowingly at a security risk. We might be heading back to the office soon but it's likely that work from home is staying, in some capacity, and thus video chats. In this article we want to give you the insight on how to better secure your video conferencing calls.
1. Update your Video Conferencing App or Software: With the massive rush to use video apps there was an equally massive rush for hackers to find vulnerabilities in the various apps and software. Video conferencing apps weren't widely used before work from home orders and many people like yourself began using these apps and software without updates. This created a large security gap for many companies and networks. Much like your phone's operating system, apps and other software are updated to provide security patches. Since the rush to work from home many of the video conferencing programs has had updates. You want to make sure you have updated them before your next use.
2. Require Passwords: Zoom has recently updated so that passwords are automatically produced. But many other apps don't have this feature and you have to do it manually. If you don't have a password, essentially anyone could join and hack into your meeting. Password setting is often an administrative permission as such you'll need an admin account to send out passwords.
3. Use Single Sign-On: Single Sign-on (SSO) gives one set of credentials to each user. This makes it very easy to monitor, track and control access to video conferencing. It reduces the risk of employees losing passwords, forgetting them or having them stolen. The main security feature is that if something does happen you can quickly reset the system and determine what video apps or software have been compromised.
4. Check Attendees: You want to be sure that who is on the call should be there. Some apps make this easier than others but as the host you want to double-check that everyone who needs to be on the call is and check for suspicious adds. This can be done often buy clicking on an attendees list and scanning who's on.
5. Use lockouts: Most video conferencing apps allow you to lockout various features. Common lockouts include controlling; Screen shares, chat rooms, the video call itself and record features. This isn't to limit the participant's activity but the access to those that shouldn't be there. Each system will be different but as an admin or host you should have access to control most of these features.
6. Create a Video Conferencing Policy: I know it sounds boring but creating a policy for your video conferencing just like for work from home or bring your own device programs will help protect you. Common policy items for video conferencing are; permissions to record, type of app to use, what information should be shared, when to mute video and voice.
This really is just a start towards securing your video chats and calls. If you need any help learning more or setting any of this up, feel free to contact us!
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