Is Zoom is safe to use?
I’ve had a number of teachers, specialists and administrators ask me if Zoom is safe to use and how to secure Zoom for their virtual classrooms.
This is understandable given the ZOOM bombing that has happened in the past few days where ZOOM meetings are hijacked by unsavory characters with bad intentions.
ZOOM’s CEO, Eric Yuan, has posted this blog article addressing the issue.
I’ve been doing a deep dive learning about Zoom best practices for security as well as engagement in the wake of COVID-19. I’m spending hours every day learning to use the platform efficiently, and safely, with my clients.
It appears that some school and district IT departments are locking down the cam options so that teachers can’t see their students, and students can’t see their teacher or peers.
This isn’t good advice because blocking video does nothing to limit hackers from interfering in a zoom call, you just can’t see them.
More importantly, now, more than ever, teachers and students need the emotional boost of seeing each other. One colleague who teaches at the college level has been instructed to insist that students log in with video active. Students need relationships in order to learn effectively.
How secure is Zoom?
Zoom is very secure if you set up your meetings correctly. Hackers are taking advantage of those who don’t set up their virtual classroom meetings appropriately. To address this issue, ZOOM has set some security features as ON for their education accounts.
Zoom provides all the provisions necessary to secure access to any Zoom session. This is why the Zoom platform is FedRAMP authorized to be used for HIPAA and Department of Homeland Security meetings.
For more details, take a look at this blog from Zoom about how you can secure your virtual classroom against hackers!