# More Secure Zoom Use 2020-04-11 · Christian Kimball · 4 min read · Strategy Canonical: https://www.osec.com/resources/blog/more-secure-zoom-use --- Some organizations have halted their use of Zoom over the security concerns and alerts that arrive almost daily. For many people it is still the only option, and it remains hugely popular for remote meetings. With "Zoombombing" on the rise and so many users reusing meeting IDs, you need to know how to set sensible meeting defaults and how to manage attendees and interactive features to keep disruptions down. These recommendations improve the security of your Zoom sessions. They are not total protection against every attack or future vulnerability that turns up. ## **Global Zoom Hardening Settings** **Prerequisite**: – Log as "owner" or as "admin" into the Zoom portal at https://zoom.us – In the navigation panel on the left, under **ADMIN**, click **Account Management** then **Account Settings** Note that when using personal meeting rooms, the settings will be under **PERSONAL**, **Meetings, Personal Meeting Room** instead. It is also worth noting that Zoom also has settings that are group-specific. ### **Locking settings** If you want to make a setting mandatory for all users in your account (so that the setting could not be reverted) click the lock icon, and then click Lock to confirm the setting. ### **Enable waiting rooms** – Within the **In Meeting (Advanced)** section look for the **Waiting room** option and set it as follows, then click **Save**: ### **Optional: disable "Join before host"** Within the **Schedule Meeting** section, locate the **Join before host** option and turn it off ### **Enable meeting password** * Within the **Schedule Meeting** section look for "**Require a password"**, then turn on the following options: Note that the option "Embed password in meeting link for one-click join" could render setting a password moot if the link is accidentally leaked to third parties. ## **Meetings Features Settings** ### **Disable private chat** * Within the **In Meeting (Basic)** section look for the **Private chat** option and turn it off ### **Disable file transfer** * Within the **In Meeting (Basic)** section look for the **File transfer** option and turn it off ### **Restrict screen sharing to hosts only** * Within the **In Meeting (Basic)** section look for the **Screen sharing** option and set it up as follows, then click **Save**: ### **Disable annotations** * Within the **In Meeting (Basic)** section look for the **Annotation** option and set it up as turn it off: ### **Prevent removed participants from rejoining** * Within the **In Meeting (Basic)** section look for the **Allow removed participants to rejoin** option and set it up as turn it off: ## **Misc Settings** ### **Enable Co-hosts** * Within the **In Meeting (Basic)** section look for the **Co-host** option and turn it on ### **Hide meeting topic** * Within the **Schedule Meeting** section look for the **Always display "Zoom Meeting" as the meeting topic** option and turn it on ### **Enable encryption for H323/SIP endpoints** * Within the **In Meeting (Basic)** section look for the **Require Encryption for 3rd Party Endpoints (H323/SIP)** option and turn it on ### **Prevent audio feedback issues (aka the Larsen effect)** * Within the **Schedule Meeting** section look for the **Mute participants upon entry** option and turn it on ## **Managing Participants** These actions can be performed from the Zoom client by a Host or a Co-Host. ### **Admitting participants to a meeting** * Join the meeting as a Host * Click the **Manage participants** icon * Admit waiting participants one by one, clicking on the **Admit** button beside each participant name, or admit them in bulk by clicking on **Admit all** ### **Promote a participant to Host or Co-Host status** * Click the **Manage participants** icon * Hover on a participant's name * Click the **More** button, then either select **Make Host** or **Make Co-Host** from the pop-out menu (remember to make someone a (Co-)Host before leaving the meeting) ### **Send participants back to the waiting room** * Click the **Manage participants** icon * Hover on a participant's name * Click the **More** button, then select **Put in Waiting Room** from the pop-out menu ### **Kick participants out of a meeting** * Click the **Manage participants** icon * Hover on a participant's name * Click the **More** button, then select **Remove** from the pop-out menu ## **Managing Meeting Resources** (Co-)Hosts can manage at any time meeting resources. Here we will focus on locking a meeting, deciding who chats with whom, and who is allowed to initiate screen sharing. Note that if a specific resource has been locked out globally it will not be possible to change its options and some of the options could not be displayed within the Zoom client. ### **Lock the meeting** Note that locking a meeting could prevent dropped participants from rejoining. * Once all the participants have joined, click the **Manage participants** icon * Click the **More** button at the bottom of the panel, then select **Lock Meeting** from the pop-out menu * Click **OK** to confirm ### **Manage who chats with whom** * Click the **Chat** icon * Click **More** at the bottom of the Chat panel (or on the "…" icon, depending on the client) * Select the option that best suit your scenario (options should be self-explanatory) ### **Manage screen sharing** * Click the **Share Screen** icon * Click on **Advanced Sharing Options** * Set the options as per the following: ## **Two-Factor Authentication** Two-factor authentication can be implemented by Administrators to provide an additional layer of security. Details on this can be found at: [https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/360038247071-Setting-up-and-using-two-factor-authentication](https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/360038247071-Setting-up-and-using-two-factor-authentication) ## **References** ### **Secure Your Meetings with Zoom Waiting Rooms** [https://blog.zoom.us/wordpress/2020/02/14/secure-your-meetings-zoom-waiting-rooms/?zcid=1231](https://blog.zoom.us/wordpress/2020/02/14/secure-your-meetings-zoom-waiting-rooms/?zcid=1231) ### **Enabling and adding a Co-Host** [https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/206330935](https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/206330935) ### **Host and Co-Host Controls in a Meeting** [https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362603-Host-and-Co-Host-Controls-in-a-Meeting?zcid=1231](https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362603-Host-and-Co-Host-Controls-in-a-Meeting?zcid=1231) ### **Managing participants in a meeting** [https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/115005759423-Managing-participants-in-a-meeting](https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/115005759423-Managing-participants-in-a-meeting) ### **In-Meeting File Transfer** [https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/209605493-In-Meeting-File-Transfer](https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/209605493-In-Meeting-File-Transfer)