The COVID-19 pandemic has paved the way for some apps to get their share of the spotlight. Case in point, Zoom, which made people forget the existence of Skype and other video-conferencing apps. And yet, it's not all glory for Zoom. Along with the surge of popularity is the exploitation of hackers, leading to its security being questioned and some misguided info.
Last month, it was reported that Zoom downloads have increased by a whopping 535% -- that's just for the month of March alone. Also in the same month, there were more than 200 million Zoom meeting participants on a daily basis. This data is all a fact.
What's not is calling Zoom malware. Let's clear that out once and for all -- Zoom isn't malware, but hackers are making you believe that it is by exploiting its popularity. According to Webroot, there's been an increase above 2,000% in malicious filed containing "Zoom" in the name.
"As with any major current event, malicious actors observe this as a lure opportunity," Marcus Moreno, manager of threat research at Webroot, said. "It's not surprising to see this trend." He went on to say that this trend will only continue not only for Zoom but also for other platforms that will suddenly experience a sudden surge in popularity.
There was a report about cybercriminals making a promise they would keep their hands off of medical and healthcare targets -- perhaps they didn't consider Zoom a part of the exclusion? It's possible since the cyber-attacks show no signs of ceasing. However, do note that Zoom's popularity is all due to the coronavirus lockdowns and that the app is also used by doctors and medical professionals in telehealth, so why aren't hackers staying clear of Zoom?
It's again the lack of moral compass that's causing these whole attacks. The nerve of these attackers making rules of who's exempted and who's not. Cyber attacks taking advantage of the crisis should have no place in this world -- ever.
Good for Zoom, it's been listening to what cybersecurity professionals have been saying. So far, the app has been responding to suggestions and is correcting its security and privacy flaws. A recent announcement from the company said that it's putting a halt to all other features and is focusing on security updates. It has removed meeting IDs from the title toolbar display and has upgraded meeting controls. That's a good start.
