Zoom 5.0 introduces more features and boosts security
Zoom has announced Zoom 5.0, an update to its product largely focused on security, privacy, and stopping the new cultural phenomenon that is ‘zoombombing’. The update is part ofZoom’s self-imposed 90-day planto improve its service after a tidal wave of backlash against its integrity.
Thanks to the stratospheric rise in use of Zoom, a product previous sued almost exclusively by enterprise businesses, many people realised they could easily drop in (or ‘bomb’) on random Zoom meetings across the world easily as chats are not password protected.
Such interruptions include pornographic images and other inappropriate content, turning Zoom into some awful non-consensual version ofChatroulette.
Zoom 5.0 introduces AES 256-bit GCM encryption and default password requirements “for most users”according to a press release.
This type of encryption still isn’t end-to-end, the most trusted form of it, but it’s an improvement. The update also gives controls to business users who can decide which regions the data centres handling their data are based in.
Additional controls also allow Hosts of calls to report certain user profiles, and limits screen sharing for education accounts to the Host only.
While most of the updates are security and privacy focused, the last one mentioned shows that there are also UI problems and use cases that Zoom never had to think about when it weas only used by corporations. With more sectors and more of the general public using the service, it has had to massively step up its security features – as well as its features in general.
Author: Henry Burrell, Contributor
Previously Tech Advisor’s Phones Editor, Henry covers and reviews every smartphone worth knowing about. He spends a lot of time moving between different handsets and shouting at WhatsApp to support multiple devices at once.
