Zoom Users to Update App Before May 30 for Security Enhancements, GCM Encryption

If you have been following; you will remember there was a post on about Zoom coming under scrutiny due to privacy and security concerns that directly affect Zoom users. The video conferencing app became quite popular over the last few months because of the coronavirus lockdowns. Zoom is reportedly taking more steps towards creating a safer virtual environment with system-wide security enhancements and Galois/Counter Mode (GCM) encryption. To this end, Zoom users have been urged to update the app and web client before May 30 as GCM encryption will become mandatory for all meetings and will be enabled system-wide from the date.

What is GCM encryption?

Galois/Counter Mode (GCM) Algorithm is an authenticated encryption algorithm designed to provide both data authenticity (integrity) and confidentiality. Majorly, GCM Encryption provides a level of protection for your data and prevents it from being tampered with.

The Zoom 5.0 update comes with support for AES 256-bit GCM encryption which is stronger than its 128 bit and therefore has a higher chance of remaining secure. This means that in the event of attempted hacking, 256-bit encrypted data would take a significantly longer time to crack.

Why you should update your Zoom 

As explained by Zoom In one of their blog posts, from May 30, “GCM encryption will be fully enabled for all meetings.” This means to join any meeting; all Zoom clients and Zoom Rooms should be on version 5.0.

The blog post further adds that all accounts would be cut over to GCM encryption and therefore both the desktop client and Zoom Rooms controller will need to be updated. Though this GCM encryption was added with Zoom 5.0 in April and this will be implemented system-wide from May 30.

More Features and Enhancements

There are few notable enhancements or features to expect on Zoom 5.0; the host can easily lock/unlock meetings, enable/disable waiting rooms, enable/disable in-meeting chat, enable/disable participant renaming, enable/disable screen sharing, remove a participant, and report a participant using the security icon in the meeting. Other upcoming enhancement includes the display of non-video participants via their avatar by default and turning off call history by default, better encryption to be enabled between Zoom Rooms controller and Zoom rooms, and Zoom room controller without the 5.0 version would stop functioning.

Coming at the time when the whole world now relies on video conferencing tools for communication due to the lockdowns; I believe working tirelessly on improving app security is a plus.

Have you updated your zoom app?

 Author

Alabi Olusayo

Digital Marketer/Content Developer for Vanaplus Group.