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During and after the pandemic, companies shifted toward hybrid work, and from then on, the need for secure video conferencing only grew. Yes, video conferencing is convenient, but handling it poorly can pose serious cybersecurity risks to your business. That's why investing in secure meeting access is vital for ensuring privacy and confidentiality during online meetings. You should also choose secure video conferencing tools with strong encryption and password protection, and avoid public networks. So, let's explore the nitty-gritty details of secure video conferencing in the following sections.
Contents:
What is video conferencing software?
In simple terms, video conferencing software allows multiple users to hold live video and audio meetings online. This makes it feel like they're having a face-to-face conversation, even though they're not in the same room. It usually includes handy features like screen sharing, chat, and file sharing to ensure efficient, secure video conferencing. Video conferencing software is commonly used for work-related virtual meetings and online classes.
Cybersecurity risks in video conferencing
At the beginning of April, Zoom—one of the most popular video conferencing services—had a ton of security-related problems. Most of them revolved around poor encryption and data protection.
Zoom has always claimed to offer end-to-end encryption. However, this turned out to be far from the truth. The company only encrypts data in transit. To make matters worse, the developers have encryption keys that allow Zoom to decrypt its users' data.
Another problem Zoom had to deal with was so prominent that it even had its own name: zoombombing. It's a type of photobombing in which hackers and regular internet trolls infiltrate video conferences and post malicious links, pornographic images, or use obscene language.
A combination of weak encryption and bugs in some of Zoom's apps led to the exposure of 500,000 users' credentials, which ended up for sale on the dark web. It doesn't help that Zoom is known to collect and sell users' data to third parties without informing them.
Even though Zoom was quick to react and patch most of these vulnerabilities, new exploits will likely continue to arise in Zoom and other video chat services. Therefore, you should always keep tabs on the latest cybersecurity news. Otherwise, you risk your private conversations, passwords, and business secrets ending up online.
Secure video conferencing best practices
To ensure that your personal and business video calls are safeguarded, we suggest following these secure video conferencing tips:
Make sure to install the latest version of the app the moment it's available. Updates include security patches that are vital if you want to stay safe online.
Never share the meeting link or ID publicly—send it only to the people participating in the video call. If your app allows it, set a password for your meeting to maintain access control. Need help with creating a strong password? Try our password generator.
Take advantage of the other features offered by your video conference app. Some have a virtual waiting room where you can approve each person individually. Others allow you to disable participants' cameras and microphones, or even kick them out. Learn about all the features of your secure video conferencing platform, as well as how to use them to stay safe.
Never accept video conference invites from people you don't know. They might be scams or attempts at catfishing, so it's best to stay away from people you don't know.
Always be mindful of what you say and show during a video call. Remember, everything can be recorded, and you never know where it will end up. So, avoid sharing any information that's too personal or sensitive. Look for safer methods to discuss business secrets.
Even though many video conferencing apps offer encrypted video calls, you should still take additional safety measures and do your own research. Make sure that the apps don't have any known vulnerabilities, the encryption protocols they use are bulletproof, and your own device is not infected with malware. If someone has control over your computer or phone, they can listen in on your calls, even if they are end-to-end encrypted. Scan your devices regularly to make sure they are safe to use.
Be careful with apps you have never heard of. Only download them from official app stores, and always check whether the developer is trustworthy before installing. Hackers are known to create fake versions of popular, secure video conferencing platforms that infect your phone with malware.
The usage of various video conferencing tools is skyrocketing, and cybercriminals have their eyes set on them. Therefore, never reuse passwords, change them regularly, and come up with strong, complex passwords for your most sensitive accounts. If you need help remembering them, use a password manager to safely store them all.
Use a HIPAA-compliant video conferencing platform to ensure the safe handling of sensitive health information. Considering that sometimes employees need to share their health data with people in other departments (e.g., HR), you should create a safe virtual environment where they can do that without worrying about security.
Use a HIPAA-compliant video conferencing platform to ensure the safe handling of sensitive health information. Considering that sometimes employees need to share their health data with people in other departments (e.g. HR), you should create a safe virtual environment where they can do that without worrying about security, complying with HIPAA requirements.
Use only strong passwords—combinations of letters, numbers, and symbols that are complex and unique enough to prevent cybercriminals or malicious machines from identifying them. You should also implement two-factor authentication to increase the level of cybersecurity at your company. With two-factor authentication, employees must provide more than just their password to log in to your company applications or access company data. This means, for example, that they will be sent a verification code via email or SMS, or asked to confirm their identity using biometrics.
Limit screen sharing to trusted people only, and be mindful about sharing individual web pages or applications rather than your entire screen to ensure that no sensitive information is shown.
CISA guide for securing video conferencing
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), a US Department of Homeland Security agency, has released a guide on how to carry out video conferences in a secure way. In essence, CISA has come up with 4 tips that, when followed, can help you safely connect with others over a video chat. They are:
Make your network secure—set up your router to use the WPA2 or WPA3 wireless encryption standard, and create strong passwords for both the router and your Wi-Fi network.
Control access to your video conferencing software—create strict policies, processes, and procedures so that only the right people can use your video conferencing software.
Create a secure environment for file and screen sharing—establish secure rules regarding the types of files that can be shared during a video conference. Also, if you plan to record the meeting, notify all participants.
Use only the latest versions of your applications—enable automatic updates and follow a patch management policy to make sure your applications are up-to-date and as secure as they can be.
Most secure video conferencing software
Below, we have compiled a list of what we consider to be the best secure video conferencing tools available on the market today. They are:
ZoHo Meeting—a secure video conferencing platform that not only provides all the communication features needed to connect with other team members. It encrypts all audio, video, and screen sharing to make sure that all information—both personal and business—is safe and sound. Using ZoHo Meeting, you can easily record your meetings and share them with the people you trust. Plus, as a host, you can “lock” the meetings so that they are fully private. This gives you full control over who can join the meeting, and you can add/remove participants at any time.
Microsoft Teams—probably one of the most popular video conferencing tools available on the market, Microsoft Teams is a secure video conferencing service that comes with a wide range of features to help you easily set up and carry out video conferences. Not only does it allow you to connect with up to 10,000 people at once for a live event, but it also enables you to go from a group chat to a video conference with the press of just one button.
Pexip—a video conferencing tool that prioritizes security. With Pexip, you can set up PIN-protected virtual meeting rooms that allow you to keep communication private and control meeting access. As a host, you can see all participants taking part in the meeting and thus be sure that no eavesdropping is attempted. If you are looking for a secure video conferencing service, you should give Pexip a go.
Google Meet—developed by Google services, this secure video conferencing tool allows users to host and join virtual meetings. It offers features like screen sharing, real-time captions, and integration with Google Workspace tools, making it ideal for both personal and professional use. Users can engage in encrypted video conferencing through a web browser or mobile app without being required to install any additional software.
Zoom—another highly popular video conferencing platform that lets users set up virtual meetings, webinars, and online events. While it had its fair share of security issues in the past, it offers features like screen sharing, breakout rooms, and virtual backgrounds, providing functionality for both personal and professional needs. By allowing users to join meetings via a web browser, desktop application, or mobile app, Zoom makes video conferencing an enjoyable experience anywhere, anytime.
Bottom line
Follow the best practices outlined in this article to ensure secure video conferencing, both for private and business environments. Likewise, review all your options before choosing one of the secure video conferencing tools for yourself or your team. Lastly, use NordPass to store passwords for these platforms or generate them for meeting access with our password generator.