Zoom finally adds a security feature you need to use now
https://www.komando.com/news/zoom-adds-2fa/753587/
“If any platform has been the MVP during quarantine, it’s Zoom. This service has been the go-to tool for video conferences and meetings for many people while working from home.
Still, while Zoom has skyrocketed in popularity in recent months, it’s also had its fair share of embarrassing security problems. Issues with Zoombombing, malware, and phishing scams have made users and businesses wary of the platform — and rightfully so. Nobody wants a hacker to access an important meeting and hurl racial epithets or profanity. It’s bad for business.
Zoom has taken action to curb some of those problems, but there is still more to deal with. If you’ve been using Zoom, an imperative security setting has been added that you need to enable now. This feature will help cut down on safety issues occurring with your account.
Zoom has finally added support for 2FA, or two-factor authentication to both its desktop and mobile applications. This feature gives your accounts an extra layer of security on top of the standard password login, which should help prevent breaches.
Related: Protect your Zoom account from being sold on the Dark Web.
Most Zoom accounts only require a standard password for login. By using 2FA, you’ll be asked to input two types of credentials in order to access your account.
You have two secondary login options with Zoom’s 2FA. You can either use a third-party authentication app that supports Time-Based One-Time Password (TOTP) protocol or you can have Zoom send a code via SMS or phone call instead.
Zoom has offered access to 2FA support before, but it wasn’t available on desktop or mobile apps. You could only use it for web-based logins. This new feature gives all users the ability to use 2FA on their accounts, including those with free Zoom accounts.
While it may take more work to use 2FA, this new feature is super important to incorporate as part of your login routine. A simple two-step verification process makes it much harder for hackers to access your account by guessing your password or using devices you forgot to log out of. In turn, the chances of identity theft or security breaches via your account drops dramatically.
Using 2FA will also help keep you in compliance if your workplace deals with sensitive data or customer information on a regular basis. Plus, you’ll reduce the risk of being Zoombombed or hit with malware, which can be both embarrassing and potentially detrimental to your business dealings.
Related: 11 Zoom tricks you’ll wish you knew sooner
How to enable 2FA on Zoom
To enable Zoom’s 2FA for password-based authentication, you’ll want to take the following steps:
- Sign in to the Zoom Dashboard.
- In the navigation menu, click Advanced > Security.
- Make sure the Sign in with Two-Factor Authentication option is enabled.
- Select one of these options to enable 2FA for:
- All users in your account: Enable 2FA for all users in the account.
- Users with specific roles: Enable 2FA for people with the specified roles. Click Select specified roles, choose the roles, then click OK.
- Users belonging to specific groups: Enable 2FA for users that are in the specified groups. Click the pencil icon, choose the groups, then click OK.
- Click Save to confirm your 2FA settings.
You can use 2FA to secure your other accounts and services, too. Tap or click for more about securing your accounts with 2FA.“