This document discusses Zoom, a video conferencing service that has become popular during the pandemic. It provides an overview of Zoom's features and business model. However, it also outlines several privacy and security issues that have been discovered, such as vulnerabilities that could allow malware to hijack webcams, and "Zoombombing" incidents. The document examines Zoom's privacy policy and notes it does not clearly state how user data is shared or used. It suggests Zoom apps have weaker security than competitors because they do not use app store sandboxing. The document concludes by offering tips for safer Zoom use and asking discussion questions.

1. THE LESSON WE ARE
LEARNING FROM ZOOM
KIERRA HICKS, NIKOLAS FRONTIERO-JIMENEZ, WOODOLPH MYRTIL,
JOSHUA PETREE

2. ABOUT ZOOM
• Zoom provides a remote conferencing service that combines video conferencing, online meetings,
chat, and mobile collaboration.
• Zoom Rooms is the original software-based conference room solution used around the world in
board, conference, huddle, and training rooms, as well as executive offices and classrooms.
• Founded in 2011, Zoom helps businesses and organizations bring their teams together in a
frictionless environment to get more done. Zoom is a publicly traded company on Nasdaq (ticker:
ZM) and headquartered in San Jose, California.

3. ABOUT CONT.
Unparalleled usability
Enable quick adoption with meeting capabilities that make it easy to start, join, and
collaborate across any device.
Join anywhere, on any device
Zoom Meetings syncs with your calendar system and delivers streamlined enterprise-
grade video conferencing from desktop and mobile
Video for every need
Enable internal and external communications, all-hands meetings, and trainings through
one communications platform.

4. PRIVACY ISSUES
• Has a weakness that would have allowed malware to attach to Zoom and hijack our web
cameras.
• Trolls have crashed people’s video meetings and bombarded them with inappropriate
material like pornography

5. ZOOM’S PRIVACY POLICY
• Does not address whether Zoom shares data with third parties like companies such as Apple and Cisco
who explicitly address this in their privacy policies.
• Tech companies can monetize user data in many ways without directly selling it, including by sharing it
with other companies that mine the information for insights, according to research published by
the M.I.T. Sloan School of Management.
• In some cases, tools to collect data from users are “rented” to third parties. Such practices would
technically make it true that your personal data was not “sold,” but a company would still make money
from your data.
• Lynn Haaland, Zoom’s global risk and compliance officer, said the company does not anonymize or
aggregate user data or rent it out in exchange for money but it was pointed out that this is not stated
in the privacy policy which raises questions.

6. FLAWS
• The article states that “products for Windows and Mac computers have weaker security by design” this
is because the company opted not to provide its app through Apple’s official Mac app store or the
Microsoft Windows app store.
• Due to it not being an app and downloaded from a website, “software avoids living in a so-called
sandboxed environment, which would have restricted its access to Apple and Microsoft operating
systems.”
• As a result, Zoom is able to gain access to deeper parts of the operating systems and their web
browsers.
• Sinan Eren, chief executive of Fyde, an app security firm says that “By choosing to circumvent safer
methods for installing its app, Zoom has opted for weaker security architecture”

7. VIDEO!

8. HOW TO STAY SAFE USING ZOOM
• It’s safer to use Zoom on a mobile device, like an iPad or an Android phone, than on a Mac or
Windows PC because mobile apps operate in a more restricted environment with limited
access to your data.
• Turn on Zoom security settings, like meeting passwords, to prevent unwanted guests from
“Zoombombing” your sessions.

9. DISCUSSION
1) How do you feel about using zoom?
2) Do feel comfortable using the app now knowing about some of the privacy issues?
3) What are some policies that you would put in place in terms of privacy for Zoom?
4) Do you use any other video-conferencing application/software and if so, please state the
benefits and why you use it.