Video Conferencing Tips: Part II

Video Conferencing Tips: Part II

#1 Before accepting any meeting invitations, check that it comes from a known, trusted sender. Also, before clicking on the meeting link, look out for potentially malicious links, such as links with “.exe,” for example. Do not click on them and, when in doubt, contact the sender via another channel to confirm that they are the ones who sent the invite.

#2 Regularly update your video conferencing software (e.g. every month). To avoid the trouble of manual updates, enable automated upgrades if possible, through the settings, to ensure that the software security features are up-to-date, preventing known vulnerabilities from being exploited.

#3 When not absolutely required, you may consider turning off your camera and to use audio only. Audio-only prevents social engineering efforts to learn more about you through background objects and also saves network bandwidth on an internet connection.

#4 Do not share meeting information on public platforms. Although it might seem convenient to share meeting information on public platforms like social media, users should avoid doing this as it may attract unwanted participants.

#5 Weigh the risks and benefits on the additional video conferencing features such as file sharing, automatic call transcript generation and remote control of another participant’s device before deploying them to the video conferencing software. 

#6 Take note when using a public video conferencing service. Such organisations typically collect personal data such as your name, email address, phone number, job title and even employment details. Do not use them if you are not comfortable sharing such information.

#7 When creating a meeting invitation to discuss highly sensitive information, it is recommended not to use names that suggests it is a top-secret meeting. This might make it a more attractive target for adversaries.

#8 Do not give out personal information on the internet. The usage of video conferencing for communication is increasingly prevalent. For example, children are utilising video conferencing for school and other activities. As such, parents should educate their children on online security and not to disclose personal information online.