Video Calling Security

March 14, 2021 by Soject

Most face-to-face activities have changed to virtual since COVID-19 pandemic. Homeschooling Kids, official works, business, and even family and friendly contacts. We rely on the Internet more than ever, and this process seems to be ongoing. The important thing is to keep the security of video calls, which is most people’s concern.

Video conferencing apps are the central points of virtualization. For example, Zoom software users have increased 30 times in the recent four months, from 10 million people per day to 300 million! All people – famous or not – are now forced to use video conferencing software. Therefore, video calls’ security is an essential issue in human societies, especially at this time in history.

Here we review the essential issues related to video conferencing software’s security and teach you what to do to maintain your safety.

How secure is video conferencing software?

You can measured the security of video calling software by various items, some of which are as follows:

End-to-end encoder: This feature makes it impossible for people outside the conversation to hear the sound and access data.

Multi-factor authentication: This feature securely locks down user accounts.

Open-source software: so that the public regularly fixes its security bugs

Third-party: Is the software information shared with a third party?

Data Storage: What is the process of deleting data from software repositories? Where and how is the data stored?

In general, we can say that any video conferencing software with all the above features is considered to be secure. However, according to the NSA report, each available application has a security gap in at least one of these cases. For example:

GoToMeeting does not have multi-factor authentication.
Google G Suite and Microsoft Teams do not use end-to-end encryption.
Zoom and Skype for Business have issues with deleting data and saving them.

According to the NSA, the following applications are relatively secure:

Whatsapp
Signal
Wickr (chat software)

However, this report clarifies that none of the software -even those mentioned above- is without security holes.

This report highlights the importance of following safety tips and refraining from sharing sensitive documents through current video conferencing apps.

SOJECT produces video conferencing software that has all the mentioned security features. Also, they are produced just for you and meet your diverse needs.

Let’s take a closer look at the security issues that video conferencing software has to deal with:

Video conferencing security issues:

End-to-end encryption:

This type of encryption’s primary purpose is to ensure that the data sent by users are secure until they reach the destination by transmitting them in encrypted form. In other words, only two parties of the communication have access to readable text (which is professionally referred to as Plain Text) using end-to-end encryption. Even then, the app’s parent company (which owns the server) could not access the Plain Text. End-to-end encryption is one of the most important items that show the security of video calling.

Learn more: Video conferencing apps

Is it possible for a third party to join the call or listen to it?

In some applications, such as Zoom, video conferencing is accessed via a URL that can be easily guessed and generated by hackers. On the other hand, providing a video call link can allow anyone to enter the group without permission.

Is your account data made available to third parties for advertising purposes?

The software company may provide your information to a third-party organization for commercial use. Whether or not the software uses your data must be included in the app’s terms of use. On the other hand, some software providers may not adhere to their privacy obligations. That is why it is important to use reputable and safe video call applications. Some abusers build video conferencing software just to steal information and sell it. These apps pave the way for porn sharks. They capture your private conversations and videos with your spouse and upload them to porn sites.

Where is the data stored?

In some video conferencing software, data is stored on the phone or PC, and in others, it remains on the server.

This is especially important when dealing with sensitive data. If the data remains on the server, you may encounter security problems, while storing them on the source and destination devices is more secure.

In the zoom software, for example, downloading chat logs that are accompanied by a video call includes all the one-on-one chat conversations that may be unpleasant for some.

Does the software have in-app surveillance actions?

Some programs allow hosts to monitor the presence of the audience. If participants do not click within a period of time or their cursor does not move, the host will notice that they are not present. This is a great feature for teachers and employers. They use these methods to determine if students are behind the desk or if staffs are attending the meeting.

Although this feature is potentially helpful, it can still consider as a video conference security issue for some individuals.

Can the installed malware access the software?

The user may inadvertently install malware on their system. Can these viruses or worms access the software camera and microphone? If this happens, the hacker will actually gain access to the user’s personal information. In the past, zoom software had such problems that its producers made an effort to fix these security holes.

How to make secure video calls?

Although the protection method varies from platform to platform, some generalities apply to most of the applications.

In this part of the article, we will look at ways to secure your voice and video calls:

The most prominent step in securing video conferencing is not to share sensitive information. This is the only way you can be sure your data is not being stolen. Avoid sharing personal photos, financial information, documents, and other sensitive information in virtual environments as much as possible. Keep in mind that it is always likely strangers hear or record your calls without realizing it.

Do not make the link of attending public.

Do not post the video conferencing link on social media and different groups. It is better to invite guests from within the software itself and ask them not to send the link anywhere.

It is safer to use software that offers a unique username and password for each person.

Choose a strong password.

Most video conferencing software allows you to use a password. Now it’s your turn to play your part in video calling security by choosing a solid password.

Try to choose a hard-guessing password that includes letters, numbers, and symbols.

Select software that uses end-to-end encryption.

To make sure your calling data is not accessible to others, try choosing software that uses end-to-end encryption. Some of these applications are:

GoToMeeting
Google Duo
Signal
WhatsApp
Apple’s FaceTime
Cisco’s WebEx

Use the latest software version.

Older versions of software usually have bugs and security holes that compromise the safety of video calls. Providers generally fix these problems in newer versions. Notably, most security issues are related to older versions and outdated ones. Ask all participants to use the latest software, as well.

If you seek an easy way to solve update problems, you can use web-based versions. These versions do not need to be updated and always provide the latest version of the software. Since web-based conferencing apps are fixed on phones and computers, the problems caused by malware installed on personal devices are no longer exist.

Using web-based software is one of the most fantastic favors you can do to yourself to secure your calls.

Lock calls

After participants joined the call, lock the meeting to prevent any other from entering. If one of the members dropped out for any reason, unlock it so that he/she can rejoin and reactivate the lock again. This will prevent any new person from entering the meeting without your agreement.

Read the software rules.

Before using any software for voice and video calls, read its terms of use, rules, and features thoroughly. You can search for it and compare it with other software. Examine the program settings and click on all its options to learn how it works. Sometimes video conferencing software offers security features that your video call will encounter security problems if you are unaware of them.

Always download the software from its legal site.

Software downloaded from illegal sites may be tampered with and endanger your phone security. Some site builders have manipulated the software in order to access users’ information.

Only connect with people you know.

Answering a simple anonymous call can put your security at risk. Before answering video calls, make sure you know the person who you are going to answer to. Do not share sensitive information with him until you are sure. Do not even accept a chat request from someone you do not know.

When you are not using the app, make sure it is not working.

Many companies collect and sell your information. So try not to help them in this espionage. Let the app access the needed information just when you are using it.

Make sure the program does not work in your background. Close it when you do not need it. Furthermore, cover your webcam with a sticker so that no one will spy on you when you are not using it.

SOJECT and video call security

As mentioned, none of the current software on the market is entirely secure. Some do not encrypt data appropriately, others do not have multi-factor authentication, and so on; each has one or more security vulnerabilities.

So, it the time to order your own video conferencing app; a software that ensures the security of your calls and also meets your needs.

The use of personalized video conferencing software is constructive in jobs that convey sensitive information and also have special needs.

At SOJECT, we not only produce high-security apps but also cater to your specific needs. We find your needs, design, implement and support appropriate video conferencing software based on your needs.

Supporting is one of the features that provide software -including video calls apps- security and eliminates potential security problems.