Zoom agrees to raise security according to FTC treaty

 

Zoom has pledged to address the more glaring security and privacy issues that are part of its video meeting software, as it increases the number of users at the onset of the coronavirus. As part of a new solution proposed with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on privacy practices, the company needs to establish an information security program that will see it share its security controls with the agency. Zoom has also agreed to notify the FTC and implement additional security features if it goes through a data breach.The FTC's main problem with Zoom's implementations was that it misled people to use end-to-end (E2E) encryption. The company's website said that since 2016, users can secure their Zoom meetings with "end-to-end encryption." In reality, Zoom has only recently introduced E2E encryption in video meetings. The FTC says the company's claims give people a false sense of security. The agency also found issues with ZoomOpener, the software the company included in the July 2018 update that it offers to Mac users. "Zoom's security practices were not in line with its promises," said Andrew Smith, director of the FTC's Consumer Protection Bureau. "This action will help protect Zoom meetings and data about their users," he said.

Zoom could face fines of up to $ 43,280 for every future crime if it fails to comply with its agreement with the FTC company.