Zoom webinar 'unsuitable' for government secrets, researchers say

The hugely popular video meetings app Zoom has "significant weaknesses" which might make it unsuitable for secrets.

A team at The Citizen Lab found that Zoom was using a non-standard type of encryption, and transmitting information through China.
Government use - such as Boris Johnson's use of the app for Cabinet meetings - may not be wise, the researchers warned.
But the app is fine for keeping in touch for most people, they said.
Until recently, Zoom was used mainly by large businesses for video conference calls. But the explosion in users during the coronavirus pandemic has created "a new gold rush for cyber-spies", The Citizen Lab's report said.
It warned that Zoom "may not be suitable" for:

• Governments and businesses worried about espionage
• Healthcare providers handling sensitive patient information
• Activists, lawyers and journalists working on sensitive topics

But for people using Zoom for contacting friends, holding social events or organising courses or lectures, "our findings should not necessarily be concerning", the report said.