Zoom & end-to-end encryption

20 Jun 2022 - 4Webcom

From startup to indispensable company.

Zoom has gone from startup to indispensable company at great speed. The corona pandemic has certainly played a large part in this, because remote work meetings and company drinks have now become a very normal thing. But even before the pandemic, there were already enough companies that used Zoom on a daily basis. The video calling service that allows you to hold virtual meetings with several people is a popular and indispensable program. Zoom is indispensable in business, education, government agencies and various healthcare institutions.

Enabling end-to-end encryption for added security.

In recent years, privacy and security have become increasingly important. From the start of 2012, there already was plenty you could do to keep your Zoom sessions safe and private. It was only missing a very important ingredient for a truly secure online environment until 2020, which is end-to-end encryption. You are using End-to-end encryption, or abbreviated “E2EE”, yourself without realizing it. Probably because it’s in a different form. For example, it is enabled by default for WhatsApp and the iMessages app on Apple devices, among other things. It is also an optional feature with Facebook Messenger.

What is end-to-end encryption and how to use it in Zoom.

End-to-end encryption ensures conversations are completely private. No one can listen in with this function. Therefore, it can be a very important function for business discussions. Especially cases like judicial agencies, education or healthcare institutions. Business meetings, patient discussions about examinations or other sensitive matters can be discussed safely while using E2EE.

Zoom meetings are also encrypted by default, yet it is not end-to-end. It does encrypt it in such a way that it probably offers enough safety for many people. Zoom therefore recommends that you only use E2EE for meetings for which you need extra protection. End-to-end encryption is a technical preview and disables other features such as, among others, live streaming, cloud recording or breakout spaces. After enabling E2EE, you can choose your default encryption type.

To enable E2EE for all users in the account, follow these steps:

  1. Log in to Zoom web portal as an administrator so that you have the rights to edit account settings.

  2. Go to the navigation panel and click on Account Admin and then Account Settings.

  3. Click Meeting.

  4. Under the Security tab, check if Use E2EE is enabled, if not, enable it (If the option is grayed out, it's locked at the group or account level. You'll need to contact your Zoom admin.).

  5. You can make this setting mandatory for all users in your account.

  6. Click the padlock icon and then Lock to confirm this setting.

  7. Under Security, choose the default encryption type.

  8. Save and done!

To enable end-to-end for group users, follow the steps below:

  1. Log in to Zoom web portal as an administrator with authority to edit group settings.

  2. Click User Management and then Groups.

  3. Go to the appropriate group name in the list and then to the Meeting tab.

  4. Under the Security tab, check if Use E2EE is enabled, if not, enable it (If the option is grayed out, it's locked at the group or account level. You'll need to contact your Zoom admin.).

  5. You can make this setting mandatory for all users in your account.

  6. Click the padlock icon and then Lock to confirm this setting.

  7. Under Security, choose the default encryption type.

  8. Save and done!

To enable end-to-end for your own user, follow the steps below:

  1. Log in to the Zoom web portal.

  2. Go to Settings.

  3. Click Meetings.

  4. Under the Security tab, check if Use E2EE is enabled, if not, enable it (If the option is grayed out, it's locked at the group or account level. You'll need to contact your Zoom admin.).

  5. You can make this setting mandatory for all users in your account.

  6. Click the padlock icon and then Lock to confirm this setting.

  7. Under Security, choose the default encryption type.

  8. Save and done!

To use end-to-end encryption for meetings, once you join the meeting, click the green shield icon in the top left corner of the window. The meeting host can optionally read the security code aloud so that all meeting participants can verify that their codes match.

At Zoom, they always put the trust and safety of the users first.

By implementing E2EE in Zoom, it enables the users to use the platform securely. Zoom continues to improve the security of the program. Free or Basic users can also access E2EE by participating in a one-time verification process.

Ready to use end-to-end encryption yourself? Take advantage of our 1 month free promotion!

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