FBI: Web Conferencing not as private you think; Beware of ‘Teleconference Hijackers’


Millions are now using web conferencing for work or school from home, but it may not be as private as you may think. Here’s how the FBI suggests you protect yourself.

Before COVID-19, you may not have even heard of Apps like CISCO, WEBEX, or ZOOM.
Now Millions are downloading and using web conferencing to stay in touch but the FBI is warning Americans to be careful.

Reports are emerging nationwide of what is being called “Teleconference Hijacking.”

How it works, a stranger disrupts an online class or work meeting to spread porn, hate messages or threatening language.

But there are things you can do to protect yourself.

Do not make meetings or classrooms public.

Require a meeting password, or use a waiting room feature on some Apps to control who gets in.

Do not share a link to the Teleconference publicly.

Never post it on social media; instead send it directly to specific people.

Manage screen sharing options, on certain apps it can be controlled by the host only.

Make sure your app is updated, some companies have stepped up security measures.

And if you become a victim of a teleconference hijacking, youre asked to report it to the FBI’s internet crime complaint center.

Zoom has reported as the most downloaded APP in the Apple App Store. On March 23rd, it was downloaded more than 2 million times worldwide according to app tracking fire Apptopia.

Two months prior, it had been downloaded less than 56,000 times worldwide in a day.


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