The Ministry of Home Affairs has released an advisory on the use of Zoom meeting app and requested government officials to instead use Centre’s NIC platform. The developers of the app are accused of breach in the privacy of the users.
Crux of the Matter
Profit Goes to Zoom Amidst lockdown due to Coronavirus across the world, people are compelled to work and study on virtual platforms from home. Zoom is one of the apps which allows conducting a meeting with up to 100 people for 40 mins. Daily traffic of the application increased to more than 200 million last month in comparison to 10 million in December 2019. When all the businesses across the world are facing financial problems, demand slump, fall in shares, etc. Zoom company’s stock increased by 40% in February.
Be Wary of Zoom: Govt The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) released an advisory related to the use of the application. The Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN) had notified the government about the threat of cyber-attack while using the Zoom app. MHA advised government offices to use the National Informatics Centre (NIC) platform for security purposes. Governments across the world have urged businesses, educational institutes, and private individuals to make sure no third party joins the meeting. Also, meeting links should not be made public.
An independent firm in Canada named Citizen Lab has discovered the breach in the encryption and decryption keys for video links on Zoom by Chinese servers. This breach in cyber information on the Zoom platform is being termed as “Zoom Bombing”. Many experts have accused China of spying and gathering critical information. Chinese servers are routinely used by Zoom. Previously Defence Minister Rajnath has held Zoom meetings with heads of armed forces. The use of Chinese servers by Zoom compromises the security of such sensitive meetings. The Union Health Minister has been also using Zoom to get information related to COVID-19 from State ministers. A breach in the encryption can be misused to alter the information and data, putting the operations in danger.
However, we recognize that we have fallen short of the community’s – and our own – privacy and security expectations. For that, I am deeply sorry, and I want to share what we are doing about it. Eric Yuan, Founder and CEO of Zoom
Changes made by Zoom Zoom updated its security features to make sure the user’s privacy can be maintained. The new update includes a “waiting room feature”, in which a person cannot be added without the permission of the host; “two password feature” and removal of the Meeting ID so that no third party user can ‘zoom bomb’ the meeting. Company is still working on improving its security and will make the virtual meeting platform safe.
Curiopedia
A 2016 biographical thriller called “Snowden” covers the story of world-famous whistleblower Edward Snowden, an ex CIA employee who leaked highly classified information from the National Security Agency(NSA) in 2013. The leaks made by him showed how the American govt monitors deep web (i.e. Private messages and information on the internet) of its citizens without their permission.
Mathematician Clive Humby coined the phrase “Data is the new oil” in 2006, which has recently picked up more steam after recent events like, Cambridge Analytica scandal, Facebook privacy concerns and even Ambani’s investment in JIO. (Fun Fact – when you mirror the JIO logo, it reads OIL).
Net Worth of Eric Yuan, founder of Zoom, increased by more than $4 billion in 2020 as his application skyrocketed.
Curated Coverage
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