Most people are now confined to their homes with interactions trying to be held at a minimum. Containing the coronavirus remains a big problem and the best most can do to help right now is to stay indoors and avoid crossing paths with other people. Technology has offered most a recourse, one of which is conversing through video conferencing means.
Zoom has benefitted immensely from it, allowing people to engage in video conference calls in large groups. On the outside, it seems pretty harmless. But the technical side of things leaves a lot to be desired. It remains that the security of people using the app could end up getting compromised, a fair warning for those who plan to continue using the popular video conferencing service.
Data privacy is something that comes to mind. Most know how this has been a big issue in the past and the app still comes with some loopholes where people could be getting spied on. Email addresses are getting leaked and access to behavior and other personal data are not entirely secure. Zoom has quietly sent data to Facebook about a user's habits including the model of the phone being used and the mobile phone carrier. Aside from that, malware is sneakily at work and people may be unaware of placing themselves in a very precarious situation, Tech Crunch reported.
Aside from that, some intruders can crash video conferencing calls. It is something that has happened in the past with no-gooders having the ability to take over screen-sharing and broadcasting porn. It is a reality that happens to this day, better known as Zoombombing.
For now, most are unlikely to be aware of these risks and may never give it much thought. People are bored and getting restless and looking for things to do. The good news is that there are other apps to consider. There is FaceTime and WhatsApp although they are not free from certain restrictions. Voice calls could suffice as well unless people are willing to try out other apps that cater to video conferencing.
One app that comes to mind is Jitsi, an open-source alternative. But the beauty of it is that it not only works across all devices, but it also allows anyone to run it on a server and control privacy. It may not be as good as Zoom but it could be better if one values the private data they have kept on their end.
Video conferencing is just one of the things people are doing these days. Some are posting stuff or engaging in chain letters to keep their minds on something. However, it may be best not to overlook their security, something that could be a new problem once the COVID-19 pandemic gets resolved.
