Securing Zoom meetings

One of the main features that makes Zoom meetings so easy to use is the ability for users to freely join meetings without having to have a Zoom account. While this is a helpful and convenient feature in most cases, it can also present challenges such as "Zoom Bombing." To help protect Zoom classes, meetings, and other online events from these disruptions, we strongly recommend the use of the following best practices to secure your classes, meetings, and events.

Using Zoom for Class Meetings or University Meetings

• Always log in to Zoom as the host of your own meeting
  • Make sure that you actually are logged in with your Lehigh credentials when hosting a meeting to be sure that you actually have the role of host and the permissions that go with this role.  If Zoom is already installed on your device, you log in directly to the Zoom client.  If not, you can log in directly at https://lehigh.zoom.us and then select the current meeting you want to start as the host.
• Require a passcode to access your meeting
  
  • This is the default security setting in place for any new Zoom meeting that you create. 
• Require users to log in (authenticate) to join Zoom meeting
  
  • When you schedule a new Zoom session, use the "Require Authentication to Join" setting available in the "Security" settings area. You can choose to only allow Lehigh users (suitable for classes or Lehigh meetings) or to allow anyone who has a verified Zoom account (suitable for meetings with guests external to Lehigh).
• Do not post the Zoom meeting links on public web sites or share on social media
  • Only share the Zoom meeting link on secure websites that require authentication, such as your Course Site , on Lehigh's Google Calendar, or directly with participants/guests via email.   
• For additional security, use a waiting room
  
  • When you schedule a new Zoom session, use the "Waiting Room" setting available in the "Security" settings area. A waiting room can also be added to any meeting that you have already scheduled and use on an ongoing basis. If you make use of the waiting room, you will need to monitor it throughout your class to admit anyone that arrives late or who may have left the session or then return.

For University Events

• Require participants to register for your meeting

  • When you schedule a new Zoom meeting, choose to require registration. This will allow you to collect names, email addresses, and other information about your event attendees and give you a sense of how many people will attend. See additional documentation on Using registration for meetings.

• Use a waiting room

  • When you schedule a new Zoom session, use the "Waiting Room" setting available in the "Security" settings area. A waiting room can also be added to any meeting that you have already scheduled and use on an ongoing basis. If you make use of the waiting room, you will need to monitor it throughout your class to admit anyone that arrives late or who may have left the session and then return.

• Hold your event using a Zoom webinar rather than a Zoom meeting

  •  Zoom webinars allow event panelists and hosts to share their audio and video, while event attendees watch, listen, and interact through either text chat or Q&A limiting the ability of any attendee to  disrupt your event. Lehigh has a limited number of webinar licenses that can be assigned to a user account for a specific event or timeframe. To request a license be assigned to your account, please submit a ticket to the Instructional Technology Team at go.lehigh.edu/help.
• Do not post the Zoom meeting links on public web sites or share on social media.  
  • Only share the Zoom meeting link on secure web sites behind authentication, such as your Course Site course, on Google Calendar, directly with participants via email. If you want to publicize the event, share only the meeting registration link. 
• Need help for your event?
  
  • If you want more comprehensive support for a high-profile event, consider contracting with The Office of Distance Education. For more information on services and rates, visit DE Special Events and Production.

Keep Your Zoom Client Current

Please update your Zoom client regularly as new security and privacy features are always being added.

Keep More Help? 

• If you have questions about the above, contact the LTS Help Desk