Open Access
CYBERSECURITY IN VIRTUAL GATHERINGS: RISKS AND REMEDIAL STRATEGIES FOR VIDEO CONFERENCING SOFTWARE
4
Centre for Cybersecurity Research, University of Cape Town, South Africa
4
Department of Computer Engineering, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia
Abstract
The increasing reliance on virtual gatherings, especially through video conferencing platforms, has introduced new cybersecurity vulnerabilities that threaten user privacy, data integrity, and organizational security. This study investigates the range of cybersecurity risks associated with popular video conferencing software, including unauthorized access, data breaches, phishing attacks, and software exploitation. Through an in-depth analysis of recent incidents and threat models, the research highlights critical system weaknesses and user behavior patterns contributing to security lapses. It also proposes a set of remedial strategies—ranging from end-to-end encryption and multi-factor authentication to user education and policy enforcement—to mitigate these risks. The study offers practical recommendations for developers, IT professionals, and end-users to ensure safer virtual communication environments.
Keywords
Cybersecurity,
virtual gatherings,
video conferencing,
data breaches
References
K. Setera, “FBI Warns of Teleconferencing and Online Classroom Hi-jacking During COVID-19 Pandemic,” Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Boston, 2020.
“Guidance for Securing Video Conferencing,” Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency, 2021.
K. Okereafor, M. Philip, “Understanding Cybersecurity Challenges of Telecommuting and Video Conferencing Applications in the COVID-19 Pandemic,” Research Gate, vol. 8, pp. 13–23, Deploying Effective Cybersecurity Education Project, June 2020.
GoToMeeting, Official Website.
E. S. Yuan, “A Message to Our Users,” Zoom Communications – Company News, April 1, 2020.
Sherr, “Microsoft’s Skype Sees Massive Increase in Usage as Coronavirus Spreads,” CNET, March 30, 2020.
J. Greathouse, “My Mistake Led to LogMeIn Eclipsing GoToMeeting,” Forbes, February 11, 2017.
Roy, “GoToMeeting Review: A Well-Deserved Industry Leader,” UC Today, June 11, 2020.
J. Evans, “12 Zoom Alternatives for Secure Video Collaboration,” Computerworld, 2020.
“Why Use Signal: Share Without Insecurity,” Signal Webpage, Official Website.
Gupta, “Role of Video-Conferencing Platforms to Change the Face of Communication During the Lockdown,” Research Gate, ISBN: 978-1-71695-479-5, August 2020.
D. Kagan, G. F. Alpert, and M. Fire, “Zooming Into Video Conferencing Privacy and Security Threats,” Cornell University, arXiv preprint.
Similar Articles
- Dr. Nyra Quellin, Strategic Risk-Based Cybersecurity Governance: Integrating Policy Frameworks, Organizational Controls, and Compliance Mechanisms for Contemporary Information Systems , International Journal of Cyber Threat Intelligence and Secure Networking: Vol. 3 No. 01 (2026): Volume 03 Issue 01
- Dr. Arjun Pratap Singh, Dr. Neha Verma, Research on Unusual Transmission Pattern Recognition in Telecommunication Infrastructure Using Fuzzy Equation Approach , International Journal of Cyber Threat Intelligence and Secure Networking: Vol. 3 No. 04 (2026): Volume 03 Issue 04
- Farah Al-Mansouri, THE IMPLICIT LANGUAGE OF CYBERSECURITY: EDUCATIONAL CHALLENGES AND IMPLICATIONS , International Journal of Cyber Threat Intelligence and Secure Networking: Vol. 2 No. 07 (2025): Volume 02 Issue 07
- Dr. Tanvi Das, James D. Walker, A FEDERATED MULTI-MODAL SYSTEM FOR INSIDER THREAT DETECTION IN ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE USING BIOMETRIC AND CYBER DATA , International Journal of Cyber Threat Intelligence and Secure Networking: Vol. 2 No. 01 (2025): Volume 02 Issue 01
- Dr. Ahmed Saeed Al-Mansoori, Detection of Malicious Query Attack Weaknesses within Online Software Systems Using Byte-Level Pattern Matching , International Journal of Cyber Threat Intelligence and Secure Networking: Vol. 3 No. 04 (2026): Volume 03 Issue 04
- Dr. Ahmed N. El-Tayeb, Miguel Ángel Ortega, INTEGRATING CYBER THREAT INTELLIGENCE WITHIN COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISES: A STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR ENHANCED SECURITY POSTURE , International Journal of Cyber Threat Intelligence and Secure Networking: Vol. 1 No. 01 (2024): Volume 01 Issue 01
- Dr.Jvalant Kumar Kanaiyalal Patel, Survey of Artificial Intelligence-Driven Zero-Day Vulnerability Detection Techniques in Cloud Computing Systems , International Journal of Cyber Threat Intelligence and Secure Networking: Vol. 3 No. 07 (2026): Volume 03 Issue 07
- Dr. Evelyn R. Chen, Dr. Adrian M. Vella, A Comprehensive Taxonomy and Critical Survey of Scientific Workflow Scheduling Paradigms in IaaS Cloud Computing: Evaluating Fitness for High-Stakes Environmental Modeling , International Journal of Cyber Threat Intelligence and Secure Networking: Vol. 2 No. 11 (2025): Volume 02 Issue 11
- Elena M. Kovacs, Predictive Intelligence Across Physical and Financial Systems: A Comparative Research Framework for Packed-Bed Thermal Energy Storage and AI-Driven Forecasting , International Journal of Cyber Threat Intelligence and Secure Networking: Vol. 3 No. 03 (2026): Volume 03 Issue 03
- Dr. Lin K. Chen, A Novel Energy-Efficient and Secure Opportunistic Routing Protocol for Data Transmission in Wireless Sensor Networks , International Journal of Cyber Threat Intelligence and Secure Networking: Vol. 3 No. 06 (2026): Volume 03 Issue 06
You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.