Videoconferencing security

Videoconferencing security is on everyone’s lips because it is one of the means of communication used in times of pandemic.

Although at the professional level, videoconferencing has been around for many years, it has been the revolutionary and most widely used medium for professional, business or work meetings in times of confinement.

Benefits of videoconferencing

The benefits are very significant, as they save time by avoiding travel to the meeting site and travel to the meeting venue and meeting start times are usually adhered to.

It is also an economic saving, because travel implies a transportation cost and a cost in the time invested for it.

It is a convenient and agile method, as it can be done from anywhere and with devices that we all use, such as our Smartphone, Tablet or PC.

It is possible to close deals, establish strategies with the commercial team and many day-to-day transactions with suppliers.

Use of Platforms

Using Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Cisco Webex, Zoom and many others is now common practice.

In most cases it is enough to share a link with the participants and set a start time (it is highly recommended to set an end time to optimize time) to hold a videoconference.

In some cases (e.g. Microsoft Teams), it is also a collaborative platform where you can share documents, chat, etc. All very interesting for professional life.

Videoconferencing security

But the use of videoconferencing, like any digital environment, is subject to cyber-attacks, putting at risk the information exposed verbally and/or documents we have shared in our virtual meetings.

Therefore, it is essential to apply security measures in the use of videoconferencing, if we really want this medium to be all benefits.

We recommend that you contact experts in data protection and information security.. to help you to elaborate efficient Security Policies, which you can also provide in case of inspection or requirement of the AEPD. At least review the security measures offered by the suppliers.

The following points serve as an example when using videoconferencing platforms:

Always recognize who is sending us the invitation to join the videoconference. If he/she is not in our contact list or we do not identify him/her as someone we know, we should decline the invitation.
Use user profiles with a double authentication system, using secure passwords.
Protect virtual meetings with specific IDs and passwords, known only to those people who will be part of the virtual meeting.
Use the so-called “waiting rooms” of these applications, so that the host can verify if the person who wants to join the videoconference is really invited and his identity can be verified.
Keep the software used for videoconferencing up to date, as well as the antivirus and firewall.
Activate the video mode only when necessary and the document sharing option, always making sure that these functions are not activated by default.
Deactivate or cover the camera and microphones when the videoconferencing system is not in use.
Encrypt end-to-end communications.
Use, as far as possible, a secure network, through a VPN. Do not use free public networks.
If a virtual meeting is going to be recorded, it is very important to warn the participants and to address any disagreement from any of the attendees on this point.
Review the Data Protection Policy of the provider that does not provide the videoconferencing service, checking that it complies with the provisions of the LOPDGDD.

Real case of lack of security in videoconferences

Perhaps the best known case is the one produced with ZOOM, in which the lack of security of this application is evident, affecting privacy and confidentiality, as warned by the specialized media“VICE“.

This caused the company’s shares to rise on the stock market, followed by a significant drop in profits, which was directly related to this event.

We elaborate your Security Policies

Business Adapter Data Protection Valencia, will draft customized security policies based on the result of the risk assessment of your business, activity, type of clients, personal data processing, etc. Ask for a free quote:

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