Google Bans Employees From Using Zoom Amid Security Concerns

Zoom has been in the news quite a lot recently due to concerns over security and privacy. The video-conferencing app, which gained popularity due to more people working from home in recent weeks, has been scrambling to address security vulnerabilities over the past week or so.

And now, Google has banned its employees from using Zoom due to security concerns. Elon Musk’s SpaceX also banned employees from using the Zoom app for the same reason.

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BuzzFeed News reports that Google started notifying users with Zoom installed on their employee devices last week, stating that their device will stop working if the app is not removed. In a statement, a Google spokesperson said that Zoom’s desktop client did not meet the company’s security standards for apps that are used by employees on company devices.

“Recently, our security team informed employees using Zoom Desktop Client that it will no longer run on corporate computers as it does not meet our security standards for apps used by our employees. Employees who have been using Zoom to stay in touch with family and friends can continue to do so through a web browser or via mobile,” the spokesperson said.

As Zoom is quickly gaining popularity, the company is also facing lots of new problems surrounding security and privacy. We recently reported that the Zoom app was silently sending user data to Facebook, an issue that was quickly addressed by the company after it was discovered by the public. Zoom calls were also found not be end-to-end encrypted as the company advertised. These are just some of the issues, and the company is scrambling to address these concerns to restore its reputation.

Just today, for example, Zoom formed a CISO Council and Advisory Board with security leaders from the industry, to discuss issues about security and privacy going forward. It also introduced a new Security Toolbar on its app to make it easier for Zoom hosts to control their calls and making additional changes to the service to improve the overall security of the platform.

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Conversation 9 comments

  • crunchyfrog

    08 April, 2020 - 5:10 pm

    <p>Google should purchase Zoom then screw it up and shut it down in a few years. You know, the usual.</p>

    • phil_adcock

      09 April, 2020 - 3:01 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#537547">In reply to crunchyfrog:</a></em></blockquote><p>You mean purchase zoom and kill it so it can be added to the Google Graveyard like every other messaging app before it?</p><p><br></p>

  • harmjr

    Premium Member
    08 April, 2020 - 8:06 pm

    <p>This is a PR stunt. #1 they have their own systems come on your telling me they are using Zoom. #2 they are Google and their employees are smart enough to know how to protect and lock down zoom so that it is not an issue. </p>

    • mrdrwest

      09 April, 2020 - 12:39 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#537573">In reply to harmjr:</a></em></blockquote><blockquote><br></blockquote><blockquote><em>People are people no matter who you work for.</em></blockquote><p><br></p>

    • StevenLayton

      09 April, 2020 - 4:48 am

      <blockquote><a href="#537573"><em>In reply to harmjr:</em></a><em> Got to admit, you got downvoted for that post, but that's exactly what I thought.</em></blockquote><p><br></p>

    • skolvikings

      09 April, 2020 - 9:01 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#537573">In reply to harmjr:</a></em></blockquote><p>Perhaps it's a PR stunt, but did they also ban Teams and WebEx and Loom?</p>

    • christianwilson

      Premium Member
      09 April, 2020 - 9:50 am

      <blockquote><a href="#537573"><em>In reply to harmjr:</em></a></blockquote><p>Maybe, but this does not imply that Google was using Zoom as their video conferencing platform, only that the client was installed on managed devices.</p><p><br></p><p>We don't use Zoom where I work but outside organizations do and when I connect to one of their meetings, I have the Zoom client installed. Google surely does business with many organizations that use Zoom so the client was likely installed on a large number of Google's fleet of devices. <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">One way to avoid that is to connect with a different client using a SIP URI address if one is available for the meeting. I doubt most people bother with that option. It's much more seamless to just use the native client.</span></p>

  • wright_is

    Premium Member
    09 April, 2020 - 5:14 am

    <p>Zoom is banned here, has been for a while.</p>

  • Allenjas

    09 April, 2020 - 10:30 pm

    <p>Not saying Zoom doesnt have security and now reputational issues to address, but MS Teams doesnt guarantee E2EE and Webex E2EE doesnt allow all the bells and whistles. But Im supposed to believe Google is so righteous and has operated so securely and flawlessly as to be too good for Zoom? What else are they going to use? Slack or IRC? Maybe eveyone will move to Teams until Shadowbrokers finds a zero day exploit in the Shaepoint underpinning and we get another round of Wannacry level issues maybe using Deepfake facial recognition. Then on to the next crappy, exploitable platform….Give me a break.</p><p><br></p>

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