Open Access

Securing the Virtual Meeting Space: An Analysis of Cybersecurity Risks and Mitigation Strategies for Video Conferencing Platforms

https://doi.org/10.55640/ijctisn-v02i09-01

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Dr. Jakob R. Neumann ¹ , Prof. Leila F. Mahmoud ¹ ,

⁴ Department of Cybersecurity, Technical University of Munich, Germany

⁴ School of Information Security, American University in Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic precipitated an unprecedented global shift to remote work and virtual interaction, establishing video conferencing software as an indispensable communication tool. This rapid, large-scale adoption, driven by necessity, has concurrently exposed significant cybersecurity vulnerabilities, creating a new and potent attack surface for malicious actors.

Objective: This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the cybersecurity risks inherent in modern video conferencing platforms. It aims to synthesize disparate reports and technical findings into a clear taxonomy of threats and, subsequently, to develop a multi-layered framework of mitigation strategies for end-users, organizations, and software vendors.

Methods: A systematic literature review of academic papers, government advisories, and industry reports was conducted. The analysis synthesizes findings from 12 key sources to identify prevalent vulnerabilities and comparatively evaluates the security postures and responses of major platforms, including Zoom, GoToMeeting, and Skype, as documented in the literature [4, 6, 12].

Results: The analysis identifies critical threat categories, including unauthorized access and meeting hijacking (i.e., "Zoombombing") [1], failures in data privacy and end-to-end encryption [5, 12], and the use of platforms as vectors for phishing and malware. The comparative review reveals that while many vendors have retroactively improved security, fundamental differences in architecture and a "security-by-design" philosophy persist among competitors [9, 10].

Conclusion: Securing virtual gatherings requires a shared responsibility model. Effective, sustainable protection is not achievable through software features alone but demands a tripartite effort combining user vigilance informed by best practices [2], robust organizational governance and training [3], and a vendor commitment to transparent, security-first engineering.

Keywords

Cybersecurity, Video Conferencing, Zoombombing

References

K. Setera, “FBI Warns of Teleconferencing and Online Classroom Hijacking 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.

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International Journal of Cyber Threat Intelligence and Secure Networking

Securing the Virtual Meeting Space: An Analysis of Cybersecurity Risks and Mitigation Strategies for Video Conferencing Platforms

Abstract

Keywords

References

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