Zoom Hacking – What is it and how to avoid it

by | Sep 30, 2020 | News

We just wanted to share a recent experience with you, involving Zoom hacking / bombing, to show how real this threat is and how much damage and offence it can cause. For those that are unaware, Zoom hacking / bombing involves somebody hacking into a session and leaking data / writing profanities / drawing or sharing offensive imagery etc. We have all heard of this happening but it has recently been brought closer to home for us as a company, so we just wanted to make you all aware that it really does and can happen! Covid-19 has unexpectedly propelled tech into oblivion, which is fantastic, but also comes with its complications and glitches! Sometimes these can be easily rectified or small mistakes, but on other occasions can be awful, damaging and destructive to people and businesses. Being a tech & digital apprenticeship provider, we want to make sure that all of our colleagues and users are safe, careful and respectful when using and engaging with tech & digital platforms; especially when working with sensitive data. We all have a responsibility to ensure safety and security when working in the tech orientated world that we all find ourselves In at the moment and for the foreseeable. We have attached a link to the ‘Tech Times’ who published a fantastic article on internet safety and Zoom hacking in particular. You can find that here: https://www.techtimes.com/articles/249572/20200512/zoom-hacking-is-on-the-rise-heres-what-you-need-to-do-to-be-secure.htm

Below you can also find our top tips on how to stay safe when using tech:

  1. Password protect everything you can, as well as you can (case sensitive, numbers, symbols etc.) Change these passwords as frequently as you can and ensure they bear no resemblance to any personal numbers to you!
  2. Report anything you see that doesn’t feel or seem right – keep your mentor in the loop with anything online that appears strange / may look like a scam / asks for sensitive information
  3. Check, check and double check what you are doing online – ensure you are using safe web pages and you know and recognise who you are emailing
  4. If you’re not sure what you think, don’t click the link!

A rise in tech usage means a rise in opportunities but an equal rise in cyber attacks, so keep protected!