Zoom Video Communications announced on Monday that the latest major version “Zoom 5.0” of its desktop and mobile conferencing services platform is now available with security improvements for download for Windows, Android, Mac and iOS.

Zoom 5.0, is designed to address Zoom’s privacy and security concerns that arose when demand for videoconferencing exploded as people stayed and worked at home to accommodate the covid-19 period . The company is now releasing the new updates to prepare users for the next transition to GCM encryption.

Zoom 5.0 comes with improved security measures that include stronger encryption, default passwords and a new icon for easy access to important security settings. The service now uses the AES 256-bit GCM encryption standard. It’s still not end-to-end encryption – which Zoom had initially, and wrongly claimed to have – but it will make meetings much safer.

Zoom also introduces several new password measures, which appear to stop Zoombombing of Zoom by trolls that disrupt meetings at random. Zoombombing is a flaw in the application, discovered by the cybersecurity company Check Point, which allowed a hacker to easily generate active meeting identification numbers, which he can then use to join meetings if these were not password protected. Zoom had already made a number of changes to fix the problem with Macs.

If you are on Windows, Android or Mac, Zoom 5.0 has been available for you since Monday. You may be prompted to update the client or application when you open it, or you can manually get the update from the Zoom Download Center. If you’re on iOS, you’ll have to wait a little longer for Apple to check for the update.

If Zoom is managed for you by an administrator, the administrator will manage this update for you, according to the application publisher. As of May 30, 2020, you must have upgraded the application to Zoom 5.0 or later to be able to participate in a meeting, as GCM encryption will be fully enabled for all Zoom meetings. Prior to this date, Zoom 5.0 customers will use the encryption currently used by Zoom meetings, the company said.

But the competitors are not letting themselves go. Facebook recently announced its new free video calling product, Messenger Rooms. It’s a new video calling feature that allows Facebook members to create public or private video chat rooms that can accommodate up to 50 people for an unlimited period of time. In comparison, Zoom’s free calls can accommodate up to 100 participants for 40 minutes.

Skype has also unveiled its free Meet Now service which does not require a download or registration. Meet Now lets you organize conference calls by generating a free single link with one click. You then share this link with participants to enjoy unlimited meetings via Skype. According to Microsoft, owner of Skype, the link for your meeting does not expire and can be used at any time. Microsoft is also making improvements to Teams to meet user needs.

Source : zoom