Beware of Zoom Bombing Hackers Hijacking Video Teleconferencing

1 Apr 2020 · 2 min

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In a Boston 25 News segment, reporter John Monaghan relays an FBI warning that video‑conferencing platforms, especially Zoom, are being hijacked in a practice known as "Zoom bombing." The FBI classifies these intrusions as cyberbullying and harassment. Recent incidents include two Massachusetts school teachers and a sermon at a JP church that was disrupted by a homophobic rant from a Colorado attacker. Security expert Robert Siciliano advises that publicly posting meeting links on social media is a major mistake. He recommends sharing links directly with participants, setting screen‑sharing to host‑only, keeping software up‑to‑date, and using host controls to evict disruptive participants. Reverend Everett expresses the emotional impact on the congregation and urges Zoom to enhance protections for vulnerable users. The segment concludes with a reminder of these precautions to keep remote meetings safe.

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A warning tonight for all of you working or learning from home. The FBI says a number of teleconferences and online classrooms are getting hacked.
Boston 25 News reporter John Monaghan spoke with a cybersecurity expert on how to stop a hacker.
As much of America goes all in online over coronavirus concerns, there's a new warning from the FBI: beware of video hackers. It is a form of bullying This is definitely cyberbullying and harassment. The FBI says hackers are hijacking video teleconferencing, or Zoom bombing. It's happened twice in Massachusetts to school teachers. Yesterday, the sermon at a JP church was hacked by a man from Colorado spouting off homophobic rants and gibberish.
It was heartbreaking. It was rude. It was mean. It was, uh, very painful for those of us who had gathered, um,— in a time of trial to pray.
Security expert Robert Siciliano says public meeting posts are a no-no.
Generally, that link they got was posted online, say in Facebook or Twitter, and then the whole world has access to it.
That's mistake number one. Do not post your meeting publicly. So if your meeting is on a computer like this or on a cell phone, the FBI says you need to take some simple precautions so your meeting doesn't get hijacked. Those precautions include provide the meeting link directly to specific people. In Zoom, change screen sharing to host only and make sure to update your software.
'Cause outdated versions of any video conferencing software have vulnerabilities that could be exploited by hackers.
And if all else fails, the host has the power to evict hackers from the meeting.
The host has to be on the button to eliminate anybody that brings upon any harassing videos.
The church used that safeguard to disconnect the man, but Reverend Everett says that Zoom must do more to protect vulnerable people, young and old, from others who want to spread hate. I'm John Monaghan, Boston 25 News.