Taiwan Tells Agencies Not To Use Zoom On Security Grounds (reuters.com) 28
Taiwan's cabinet has told government agencies to stop using the Zoom conferencing app due to privacy and security woes. Reuters reports: Zoom's daily users ballooned to more than 200 million in March, as coronavirus-induced shutdowns forced employees to work from home and schools switched to the company's free app for conducting and coordinating online classes. However, the company is facing a backlash from users worried about the lack of end-to-end encryption of meeting sessions and "zoombombing," where uninvited guests crash into meetings. If government agencies must hold video conferencing, they "should not use products with security concerns, like Zoom," Taiwan's cabinet said in a statement on Tuesday. It did not elaborate on what the security concerns were. The island's education ministry later said it was banning the use of Zoom in schools.
Taiwan would be the first government formally advising against use of Zoom, although some U.S. schools districts are looking at putting limits on its use after an FBI warning last month. Taiwan's cabinet said domestically-made conferencing apps were preferred, but if needed products from Google and Microsoft could also be considered.
Taiwan would be the first government formally advising against use of Zoom, although some U.S. schools districts are looking at putting limits on its use after an FBI warning last month. Taiwan's cabinet said domestically-made conferencing apps were preferred, but if needed products from Google and Microsoft could also be considered.
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There is a huge backlash around the world at the moment on Zoom's poor security (much of this attention deserved). This is a tech site reporting on news about Technology and security. I would be far more suspicious if their were not a lot of articles at the moment around this.
Zoom has some default settings problems for which they are being correctly criticised. The main problem with zoom is lack of end to end encryption, which is exactly the same as Microsoft Teams which is being recommended as an alternative. These stories would be lots less dubious if the were recommending one of the encrypted applications. WxxxxsAxx, should be fully encrypted, even though it comes from FaceBook, for example. Alternatively if this was a call for action to volunteer to get group calling imp [signalusers.org]
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For voice and video between peers teams does do end to end encryption. Obviously for a hosted meeting or chats as they are server side it does not. though all signaling is over tls and all transport and storage is encrypted.
"Obviously"? Whatsapp is doing this end to end (though this means it's got more limited features). Signal is suffering since they insist on doing it right rather than entering the market with a product that isn't ready (like Zoom and Teams). I guess it basically comes down to: who do you trust? Xi or Trump? My answer would rather be neither.
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Go away, Zoom shill.
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Idiots, it's for you. (Score:3)
Maybe it's true about incompetence vs malfeasance in this case. The chain of flaws is so obvious and complete that only the superior method of stupidity could account for it.
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Don't forget them paying off lobbyists to make the tax payer fund their lack of security with government protection, they were going to make everyone pay for the shitty product whether they used it or not, talk about psychopathic greed. The new business plan, how to invest in lobbyists to grab tax payer cash to fund the business and privatise those profits whilst the taxpayer funds the losses, yeehaah.
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This is what you get when you let businesses design software. They give the market what it wants - ease of use, "just works", low cost. The market only cares about security when it gets highlighted and only needs a token effort to be placated.
Agencies using Zoom? (Score:5, Insightful)
I understand schools in panic adopting it. I understand small businesses with 5 employees who had nothing else. I understand a bunch of people having drinking sessions or meeting friends on Zoom.
But what are government agencies or large companies doing with it? Surely Taiwan government agencies would adopt whatever their standard pre-vetted and likely part of a large contract for IT&S services video conference package rather than the amateur hour package that's always in the news.
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Same question here. I work for a large company which has both MS Teams and Skype for Business well integrated into our workflow, with SSO etc. When we got asked to work from home, they suggested we use Zoom. No idea or explanation why.
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University of Washington Physicians is using Zoom for their tele-health doctor appointments (no one goes into the clinics now unless recommended based on the prior tele-health meeting). One of the biggest teaching hospitals in the country, attached to one of the best tech universities in the country, in the middle of Microsoftland. Go figure.
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When we got asked to work from home, they suggested we use Zoom. No idea or explanation why.
Like WTF. Did some pointy haired boss not know what that Skype icon in his taskbar was or something?
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But what are government agencies or large companies doing with it? Surely Taiwan government agencies would adopt whatever their standard pre-vetted and likely part of a large contract for IT&S services video conference package rather than the amateur hour package that's always in the news.
I've been to Taiwan and have a long time friend who lives there so while what I'm about to say is just speculation, I'm pretty sure I'm right.
In Taiwan, government jobs are very desirable. Like in the USA, it's very difficult and maybe sometimes impossible to fire government workers and while the pay trails private industry, the retirement benefits are excellent. In fact, in recent years, government worker pensions have been a huge concern in Taiwan, with non-government workers feeling that they are
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I suspect that the government budgets are a bit limited and they look for ways to cut costs. Zoom advertises itself as suitable for business and if you get a personal account and keep your meetings under 45 minutes, you can use it for free
But that was my point. Any larger organisation would be party to some kind of productivity suite be it Office or Docs. Just being a user of those as part of an organisation already gives you licenses to Skype for Business / Teams, or Hangouts depending which team you're in.