'Zoom-bombing' attacks on video conferencing platform leave victims shaken

[inanna]

CBC News · Posted: Apr 03, 2020 4:00 AM ET

Zoom has emerged as an indispensable video conferencing tool for remote work and study as millions of people are forced to stay home during the COVID-19 pandemic. But a growing number of so-called Zoom-bombing incidents is prompting warnings from the FBI and from the victims themselves.

People participating in meetings and lessons via video conference platforms like Zoom can find their screens hijacked by malicious actors who can put words and images on the screen and in the chat box or create havoc with the audio.

Dennis Johnson said he was in the middle of a video conference defending his doctoral dissertation — about the struggles of African Americans in California's education system — when he started seeing profanity appear on the screen.

"I'm talking about ... students of colour, specifically black students," said Johnson, 28, in a Skype interview from Long Beach, Calif. " As I'm talking about this, I see a circle on my screen ... then another circle and then I see another shape. It's a penis."

Then he saw letters spelling out the N-word.

...

https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/zoombombing-fbi-warning-1.5519024

[gratuitous]

1. Fer crissakes, people

Check your privacy settings to limit participation. Even an old guy like me can figure that out!

[ProfessorGAC]

2. A Negative Outcome Of Stay At Home?

Slimeballs with even extra time on their hands?

[FM123]

3. Thanks for the info.

I will pass on to my family.

[C_U_L8R]

4. It's the internet, can't Zoom track who these people are and block them?

Or better, send a police car over to knock on their door.