Video Conferencing Security Risks and Best Practices

Video conferencing isn’t exactly new technology. But over the last two years of pandemic, video conferencing turned from an optional form of communication to a mandatory one as everyone was socially distancing and working from home.

Both educational and business organizations are now heavily dependent on video conferences for classes and meetings despite everything slowly turning back to normal. However, video conferencing does have some cybersecurity risks that you need to be aware of.

Below you’ll find a complete rundown of the risks of video conferencing and best practices to follow to circumvent those risks.

Meeting Bombing

While a pet or child unexpectedly turning up in front of the webcam can be pretty endearing once in a while, it becomes a nuisance when group meetings are constantly bombed by random things and causing distractions. The worst part is, unless the person responsible for the distraction does something about it, there is very little to do but wait it out.

Malicious Links

Another common problem when it comes to video conferencing is the chance that malicious links can be sent via chat to other people in the conference, resulting in data breaches. This often happens unintentionally as people constantly upload links from their malware-infected devices without scanning them first.

Stolen Video Conference Links

If you think hackers are only good at stealing personal data and passwords, you would be dead wrong. Hacking into a video conference by stealing the conference link is quite common these days and can end up costing your business a lot as important discussions and decisions can be easily stolen by unscrupulous competitors.

Malware Attacks

Video conferences also serve as the perfect jumping point for malware attacks. Hackers will often try to install malware after stealing login credentials, resulting in your computer or laptop being infected. If you find yourself in such a situation, search online for 'laptop and computer repair near me' to find a dependable professional.

Best Practices for Video Conferencing Security

Here are some of the best practices to follow if you want to increase video conferencing security.

Use the Same ID for Another Meeting

Hackers will have an easier time fooling your employees if you’re constantly changing your meeting ID for every new meeting. Designate a specific ID for your meeting and stick to it. This way it becomes easier for everyone to know which ID to join and difficult for hackers to lure your employees into fake meetings.

Meetings Should be Password-Protected

Always make sure your meetings are password protected. Most business organizations and startups make a common mistake by creating open meeting rooms with no passwords. This makes it easy for hackers to install malware or inject malicious links into the group chat, which is something you definitely don’t want.

Enforce the Identification of Participants

While this might seem a bit unnecessary, enforcing a roll call at the start of the meeting can help you spot catch onto any fishy business quick during calls. If anyone who’s not supposed to be in the meeting is somehow there then this trick will easily flush them out.

Don’t Post Meeting IDs on Social Media

Another thing to remember is not to post your meeting IDs on social media. This is one of the easiest ways for hackers or criminals to gain access to your video conferences. Instead, always share them through official chat channels like Slack, Skype, Google Calendar, etc.

Limit File Sharing to Appropriate Participants

Restrict the access of files to only those who need them. If you give access to everyone, chances are the files can be accessed or hacked through a vulnerable device in the network.

Limit Screen Sharing to Only Appropriate Participants

The same principle of restriction also applies when it comes to screen sharing in meetings as well. Only allow screen access to those who need to show their face in the meeting or a particular private conference.

Report Any Suspicious Activity

If you’re part of a video conference but not the host, report any suspicious activity you notice during the meeting. This will help improve the meeting security and help prevent any hack or data theft.

Keeping Up With the Times

With the way things are, it’s easy to predict that video conferencing is the future of corporate and educational institutions and organizations, so it’s best to start learning and implementing the best security practices when it comes to video conferencing. Hopefully, these tips will help you avoid a security breach or two in the future!