Regarding the news that we have released about the Zoom app and how to improve it but only if you pay for it, I'm going to leave you my personal opinion about it, because it's something that I didn't like at all. Since the pandemic started because of the damn coronavirus, videoconferences they have become very essential. Not only for work but also to be able to talk with our relatives because we cannot move as we did before. One of the applications that has stood out above all of them has been Zoom.
As the days passed, users have detected that this application is not the safest of all. Manzana put warning measures for the use of this tool on Macs and even some companies and governments prohibited its use. Now it is updated with more encryption measures, but only if you pay for them. Very bad.
Zoom has just made a play of those that they like little, very little. Marketing with security and privacy of the users. I explain. The company responsible for this application is going to launch an update to its program that will improve the privacy of its users.
However, this improvement will only affect those who pay for it. Therefore, if you are one of those who use Zoom for free, you should know that in the next update, your data will not be as secure as paying users.
Zoom should understand that privacy is so fundamental that it should be free
You can say that we are in a free market and indeed it is. It is a free market, but there are certain characteristics with which it is better not to market. Security and privacy is one of them.
You cannot demand that we continue to use the application knowing that our privacy is not guaranteed, but that we do pay. You can introduce improvements or even more simultaneous connections for paying users. But you cannot improve the application in that field, only if you pay.
Vulnerability found by developer Felix Seele
No wonder some companies ban it. Well then, I don't use it much, but I have. Of course if you do not change your strategy and it is confirmed that this update is done, I will not use it and I will notify everyone who knows of this fact.
Zoom security consultant Alex Stamos, he warned that the plan was still subject to change. He also confirmed that the company has been in discussions with civil liberties groups and organizations that fight against sexual abuse, to determine what types of non-profit groups and specific types of users should also be able to access that new encryption for free.
The responses to this new initiative have been mixed, depending on who they asked. While Electronic Frontier Foundation researcher Gennie Gebhart told the company that he hoped it would make privacy broader, Jon Callas (a security expert who worked for Apple) suggested that asking for money for privacy and security , it is a reasonable fact.
Remember that a month ago, Zoom in version 5.0, added AES 256-bit GCM encryption and fixed a number of privacy and security issues. As we said, these Issues, including "Zoombombing," have led to measures including public warnings from the FBI and a ban on the use of the tool by some groups.
Hopefully this update will not finally take place just including these security features. You can include a higher encryption method, but always making sure that in the free version, the existing one is sufficient and that you have eradicated all existing problems. Only then, I believe, that the application could be improved and that finally many people end up using it and even paying for it.
Restrict the number of users in its free version, remove the video, or make the audio quality low, I know. Like many companies do. But do not play with the privacy of the users or their security.
We will tell you if they finally update with these proposals or they change their idea and respect that basic security that any program must have.