MeetingSource: Zoom

What you need to know

  • Zoom is being sued in California over previous reports it gave data to Facebook.
  • Zoom is also being probed by New York's top prosecutor over its security practices.
  • It's been a bad week for Zoom.

A report suggests that Zoom is being sued in California over reports it gave data to Facebook without telling customers and that New York's top prosecutor is probing its security practices.

According to CBS News:

Zoom Video Communications is facing increased scrutiny over customer privacy this month as New York's top prosecutor is probing the suddenly popular teleconferencing company's security practices during the coronavirus work-from-home movement. Zoom also is being sued in California for allegedly giving users' personal data to outside companies including Facebook without fully informing customers that's the case.

Despite fixing an issue whereby Zoom sent data to Facebook even if you didn't have a Facebook account, it seems that the lawsuit is seeking damages for the infraction:

"The unique advertising identifier allows companies to target the user with advertisements," the lawsuit states. "This information is sent to Facebook by Zoom regardless of whether the user has an account with Facebook... The lawsuit also states Zoom was paid for sharing user data, although court documents don't disclose how much money Zoom allegedly received."

Beyond this, New York Attorney General Letitia James has requested Zoom provide specifics about how the company will safeguard user data, citing concern "that Zoom's existing security practices might not be sufficient to adapt to the recent and sudden surge in both the volume and sensitivity of data being passed through its network." The letter states:

"While Zoom has remediated specific reported security vulnerabilities, we would like to understand whether Zoom has undertaken a broader review of its security practices"

Zoom told CBS that it plans to provide the information requested. This week several worrying security issues have emerged within the platform, including the revelation that Zoom's calls are not end-to-end encrypted even though it claims otherwise. A company directory feature also pooled thousands of strangers, leaking the personal user data of many users. A Zoom bug in macOS also revealed how a "very shady" installation script could be used as an exploit to take control of your Mac.