Zoom Hires Ex-Facebook Security Chief Alex Stamos To Ask For Advice

The former security chief of Facebook - Alex Stamos - has been contacted for advice by Zoom Video Communications. The former Facebook security expert was reached for privacy and safety advice about the app’s fast-growing insecurity which leads to the backlash towards Zoom.

Starting by Alphabet Inc., the backlash began on Wednesday to prohibit Zoom’s desktop version for corporate users.

To be more specific on Zoom’s security cracks, Berkeley High School officials in California stated that they temporarily prevented the use of Zoom as a naked adult man using racist words during a password-secured meeting on the app, according to the letter sent to parents.

Zoom is also limited in usage in Taiwan and Germany, and SpaceX of Elon Musk also put a ban over the app due to security concerns. In addition, Zoom is now facing a class-action lawsuit.

Since the lockdown of coronavirus, Zoom usage has increased significantly, as well as its concerns about the missing end-to-end encryption over their meeting sessions, traffic route through, and the “Zoom bombing”, as there were uninvited guests appearing in the meetings.

Zoom began to attract users for its easy usage and free offerings, making many schools all over the world start to use the app for online education.

Through a number of tweets lately in March, Alex Stamos has required Zoom for more transparency, as well as a need of rolling out a security plan every 30 days. This made Eric Yuan, the Chief Executive Officer and founder of the platform demand him for advice as a consultant.

Also on Wednesday last week, Google claimed that they were shutting down Zoom workers’ computers due to cyber-insecurity. As an alternative, employees can still use Zoom but on a mobile-based or browser-based version.

To solve the cyber-insecurity, Zoom has conducted maintenance for a 90-day period, as well as established a CISO Council which consists of top-notch security officers for privacy, technology, and security discussions.