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Zoombombing
Below are tips on how to keep your Zoom meetings secure and protect against Zoombombing.
Zoombombing Overview
Zoombombing is a term indicating that a user has shared their screen or otherwise caused disruption in a public Zoom meeting (or any virtual forum). That person may take over the meeting and share inappropriate content with attendees. This is rarely an issue with smaller, private meetings, but can be more likely with a public forum.
Best Practices to Prevent Zoombombing
- Do not share Zoom Meeting information on Social Media or Website when possible. Meetings whose details are shared publicly on a website or social media are at a higher risk for Zoombombing.
- The default on Zoom meetings scheduled with the NDSU license is to only allow a host to screen share. To allow for multiple people to screen share, the host should designate an attendee as a co-host during the meeting. The host and co-hosts will be allowed to screen share. This prevents unexpected shared content from the audience and restricts sharing to only host-selected participants.
- Bad actors may present themselves as a trusted person to gain access to permissions. Regardless of how an individual presents their name, NDSU IT recommends requiring visual or voice confirmation of a participant's identity before allowing them to share screen or granting them co-host permissions.
- Not all Zoombombing originates with screen sharing. Never open an unknown link in a Zoom chat. If chat is not necessary for your meeting, consider restricting or disabling chat entirely.
- Consider using the "Raise Hand" feature during Q&A sessions. Hosts will be notified that the participant wishes to speak. They can then unmute participants who wish to ask questions. Hosts should mute the user when their question is finished. Hosts should only unmute trusted participants.
- Zoom's Best Practices for Securing Zoom Meetings
- Additional instructions on screen sharing can be found here: Zoom - Allowing Participants to Screen Share During Zoom Meetings
- Additional security tips for Zoom can be found here: Zoom - Security
If a meeting is Zoombombed, hosts should:
- Remain calm. You have the necessary tools to control the incident and protect your participants.
- In the Security panel, select "Suspend Participant Activities." This will disable all video, audio, screen sharing, and chat.
- End the Meeting.
Steps to take after a Zoombombing Incident:
- See NDSU Zoombombing Incident - Internal Protocol
- Do not download, copy, manipulate or view the video.
- Contact Campus Police.
- Email IT Security with details about the incident.
- Contact the platform to which the event was streamed. (Facebook, etc.)
- Follow up with participants where possible to remind them who they can speak after a traumatic incident.