On September 12, following the surge in popularity during the current COVID-19 pandemic, the video conferencing application developer Zoom added a two-step verification (2FA) mechanism as a new security measure.
The login standard requires users to provide additional information, such as a PIN code and password sent via SMS . Zoom stated that this optional feature will help users prevent hacker attacks on control accounts, which may lead to identity theft and security breaches.
The company said in a blog post: “Zoom’s enhanced two-step verification makes it easier for administrators and companies to protect their users and prevent security breaches on our own platforms. With this mechanism, companies can add additional security Measures to prevent bad guys from accessing accounts by guessing passwords or entering employees’ or students’ devices, thereby reducing the risk of identity theft and security breaches.”
Zoom’s two-step verification mechanism requires online users to provide two or more pieces of evidence or credentials to verify their ownership of the account, thereby identifying online users. This includes information that the user knows, such as passwords or personal identification codes, devices owned by the user, such as smart cards or mobile devices, or user biometric features, such as their fingerprints or voice.
Due to the requirement to maintain safe social distancing rules, forcing hundreds of millions of people to work remotely, Zoom’s users have grown significantly this year. But the company is always introducing new features designed to fix security vulnerabilities that have caused problems like “Zoombusting”, where unsolicited users cause video chats to crash.
In response, Zoom has made major reforms to its security features and launched a series of application updates to better protect users. Among the new features released in April are the ability to lock meetings and prevent other users from joining, the ability to delete meeting participants, and better control of screen sharing. The company also enables passwords for Zoom meetings by default and allows business users to let IT administrators set the password strength.
In May of this year, Zoom acquired the security and encryption company Keybase in an effort to solve its high-profile security issues and bring expertise to its increasingly popular platform.
Zoom also recently released the first physical product ever, the Zoom for Home touch screen device priced at $600. It is produced by the American DTEN company, equipped with a 27-inch touch screen, with three wide-angle cameras for high-definition video calls, integrated speakers and 8-microphone array, can get clearer audio. This device can be used independently of the computer or as a second screen during a Zoom meeting.
This device has already been sold to American customers and will enter Europe later this year. Zoom said that the name Zoom for Home will apply to a new category of hardware devices to support remote work, which means that more similar devices will be released at a later date.
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