The FBI wanted to send a reminder to anyone who is using any of the video conferencing apps or software that what you're doing may not be all that private.

There is a new thing that hackers are doing called Zoom Bombing.

Whether it's Zoom, or some other service, hackers can get into your online classroom, that meeting with your business partners or the meeting of friends you have just to be social in a social distancing world.

Here's an example from the Associated Press:

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Rangers say they are “incredibly appalled” by the actions of a hacker who posted a racial slur hundreds of times during an online video chat between fans and a black prospect. The team scrambled to disable the hacker during a Zoom chat Friday with K’Andre Miller, who signed with the team last month after being drafted No. 22 overall in 2018. The team says the racist behavior “has no place” anywhere — and is investigating. The NHL also is out with a statement condemning the hacking. Copywrite, the Associated Press

Or this story from Fox News, where an online class was hacked, and it led to major disruptions.

Kim Komando, computer show host that you hear Saturday from 3-6 p.m. on KPEL, says that research from Check Point points out that there has been a huge increase in the number of domain names being registered that are awlfully close to Zoom. Zoom is the most used app for video conferencing, and so people looking to scam others are waiting for their next victim.

The biggest question then is....what can I do to protect myself?

Here are some suggestions from Komando:

  • Never trust a link that has been emailed to you. You can click on it, and before you know it, a hacker has installed spyware on your device.
  • Enable two-factor authentication that has it because if someone does steal your password there is still another way that they would have to prove who they really are.
  • When you're going to a particular place online, Komando says to type in the address yourself.

The biggest thing, in my mind, is whether or not you really want to reveal anything private during a video chat? It's something to think about for the future.

And what about all you business owners out there? Are you making sure your network is secure, are you using software that offers two-factor authentication?

As if things weren't hard enough right now for business people, or anyone for that matter, someone sharing your business secrets, or personal ones, would just add more misery to an already rough time.

 

 

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