Tag

CyberSecurity

Perspective

It’s Time to Seriously Consider Zoom Alternatives

written by AQMBlog Staff

By Ebony S. Muhammad

4 Online Meeting / Webinar Platforms You Should Know About

Here’s the backstory and my own personal experience with the Zoom hacking issue during a webinar I attended.

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As a student of all things tech, cyber security and web design, I have participated in countless webinars and online meetings.

Before COVID, absolutely none of them were hosted on Zoom. That’s a critical point.

It wasn’t until COVID hit that I was looped into Zoom calls and meetings on a regular basis.

When reports about the hacking began and started multiplying I honestly wasn’t surprised, because access to millions of people at one time was a prime opportunity for such activity.

So just last week during a Zoom webinar, I experienced a “Zoom Bombing” firsthand.

According to Tech Times, “It (zoom bombing) does not involve data theft or the spread of viruses and other malware. However, it is disruptive and can be highly unsettling for certain people. There have been several reports of zoom bombing that targeted online classes. There’s one that mired with racial slurs a UCLA class on the history of the racial and cultural roots of Mexico. Another one disrupted an Arizona State University class on storytelling with pornographic videos. In Singapore, the Ministry of Education decided to ban Zoom for home-based teaching after hackers hijacked classes with explicit imagery.”

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Here’s what happened during the webinar I was on.

The webinar host was giving his welcoming remarks and was in the process of introducing the first presenter. Just as he was saying their name, the live stream was loudly interrupted by music reminiscent of a Mariachi band and words that may have been Spanish or meant to sound like they were.

The look on the host face was of complete shock. He was mortified.

In the top bar where attendee screens are located, a profile appeared that contained an odd photo. Suddenly a similar audio began to play at the same time with another odd profile image appearing.

I knew exactly what was happening, and unfortunately, the host lost all control of the webinar. I immediately left the webinar and closed out of the application entirely.

There are SO may alternatives to Zoom, that are better in quality and security and have the same or more features as Zoom. Best of all, these platforms do NOT require a download! Whew! ?

I want to give you a list of the top 4 platforms I’ve joined webinars and masterclasses for and offer some of my experience as an attendee. Again, there are many more, so feel free to research as well.

I’m listing them in order of price and key features. Note: While Zoom is free, the saying “you get what you pay for” rings louder than ever. I’m sure the host who has his webinar “Zoom Bombed” will gladly pay a small fee to avoid what he experienced from happening in the future.

At the end of the day and for the security of your brand and peace of mind, having a safe and seamless webinar experience, void of the embarrassing and offensive interruptions and breaches, are worth paying a little bit for.

EZ Talks

I came across EZ Talks when attending a webinar before COVID struck, and I was impressed by how user friendly it was. It was quick and easy to join and the video experience was also great. I was so intrigued that I had to visit the platform’s page and learn more!

Features:

Free and paid accounts offered
No download required to join a meeting or webinar
Easy to set up and begin immediately
HD video and audio
Advanced Standard Encryption
Audio conferencing
Screensharing
Interactive Whiteboard
Meeting Control
Instand Messaging
Q+A Portal
Video Tutorials to help you set up
Visit EZ Talks

Crowd Cast

I was introduced to Crowd Cast via a design blogger who was hosting weekly webinars and tips on Adobe. I loved how easy it was to join, the live interactions with her and other attendees and the ability to re-watch the archives. The other cool thing is that this platform is a hub that features other brands and individuals hosting creative content, so you can find other amazing webinars to join, hence the word “crowd” in the name Crowd Cast.

Features:

Plans start at $20/mo
No downloads required
Webinars
Meetings
Live Course
Summits (paid events)
Easy to set up
User Friendly
HD Video and Audio
Chat Engagement
Broadcast Across Multiple Platforms (ie. Facebook Live, YouTube Live)
Integrates with Zapier so you can connect with MailChimp, ConvertKit, etc.
Embeddable to your website
Q+A and Voting Features
Invite anyone on screen
Visit Crowd Cast

Easy Webinar

I’ve attended multiple webinars and masterclasses on Easy Webinar, and the experience was incredible. I was impressed with the interface and over all appearance of the webinar as an attendee.

Features:

Plans start at $78/mo
No download required
Real Time Chat
HD Video
No Delay Streaming
Record and Archive
Multiple Presenters
HD Screensharing
Stream on Multiple Platforms
Invite Attendees to Present with You
Automated Webinars (Repurpose Live Webinars)
Right-On-Time Registration (Stream webinars at the next 15 min increment from the time visitors come to your page)
Customized Emails Based On Attendee Behavior (An email sent if someone left early vs an email for the attendee who stayed the entire webinar)
Visit Easy Webinar

Webinar Jam

I’ve attended many masterclasses via Webinar Jam and similarly to Easy Webinar, they set a wonderful standard to the online meeting and webinar experience by far. Although it’s one of the priciest, what you get in exchange is worth it especially if you host meetings where the stakes are high such as international business negotiations. And when broken down monthly, it’s close to what Easy Webinar charges. It’s just that the payment is annual. Nevertheless, as an attendee, I thoroughly enjoyed the webinar and was able to focus on what was taking place. The interface is a little more sophisticated in style, so large companies, organizations or corporations may gravitate to this platform.

Features:

Starts at $499/year
No download required
Panic Button (If there is a technical issue on your end, you can put your attendees into another “room” and resume).
Customize Emails Based On Attendee Behavior
Send Replay
Live Chat
SMS and Email Reminders
Attendee Spotlight
Automated Recordings (Repurpose Live Webinars)
Monetize Pre-recorded Webinars
Video Injections (Use pre-recorded video during live webinar presentation)
Handouts (Share a PDF with attendees during the webinar)
Control Center (Your staff can mange the event behind the scenes while you focus on presenting).
Visit Webinar Jam

Be sure to let me know which one you tried out and how the experience was for you and your attendees! The Power Of Choice!

For more information about how to address insider threats, visit digitalscribe.co/blog | email me at ebony@digitalscribe.co | book a Cyber security strategy session.

September 15, 2020

Perspective

5 Ways To Secure Your Smartphone

written by AQMBlog Staff

By Ebony S. Muhammad | Digital Scribe

It is reported that nearly two-thirds of the world’s population has a mobile phone.

We take them everywhere we go, most of us keep them on our hip, purse, or sometimes hold them in the palm of our hands. Our smartphones have literally become an extension of who we are, our work, our interests, how we keep up with family and friends and how we consume daily news. Yet, these same devices carry a level of risk and vulnerability with them. So I’d like to share a few strategies in securing them from prying eyes, hacking and theft.

1| Password Protection: 70 million smartphones are lost each year. Whether you own an Android or iPhone, your privacy settings allow for secure access and prevent unauthorized access. Android devices enable the user to create either a numeric password or a pattern password. iPhone users now have the ability to create a six digit password as well as fingerprint and facial recognition for added protection. Having your smartphone (or any mobile device) locked and password protected ensures a layer of security for unwanted individuals accessing your contacts, emails, text messages, photos, etc. Honestly to not have your phone password protected is asking for a data breach.

Major Key: Make sure you’re alone when setting your password. Definitely avoid setting and using your password while sitting next to someone. No matter how fast your fingers move, you’d be surprised how many times phones have been opened by someone “casually” sitting or standing nearby. Make sure your password isn’t easy to guess. Avoid using birthdays, birth years, the last four of your social security number, or previous addresses lived at. Make sure the number is insignificant.

2| Invest in a Privacy Screen. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had someone attempt to look at my phone while texting or using social media. No matter how many phones I’ve had, I always purchase a privacy screen. I’m sure you’ve experienced onlookers watching you text, tweet, or work on your device especially while on an airplane where the seats are close together. Aside from the blatant violation of privacy, it’s down right dangerous to have your screen visible for people to read and capture sensitive information. There are a supply of privacy screens that also protect the phone’s screen from cracking or shattering. You can find some under $10. It’s more than worth it!

3| Disable Default Settings. Once you leave the storefront of your carrier (or if it was shipped to you), be sure to customize your general settings. I hear much too often that smartphone owners still have their general and privacy setting in default mode. Meaning after they purchased and activate their device they didn’t change the default settings. You may ask, “What’s the big deal with keeping my default settings as is?” For iPhone users, as an example, the frequently visited locations setting is on, which diagrams every place you drive and charts most frequently visited places. This isn’t data you want captured or at risk of being hacked into for safety reasons.

Also, Siri is listening. Like most IoT (Internet of Things) devices that record voice commands, Siri is on by default. If you are in meetings where sensitive information is being shared (i.e. meeting with your lawyer) you want to take every precaution available to ensure all information is secure and won’t go beyond those in attendance.

In the early part of April, it was reported on multiple news outlets that Amazon employees are listening to the conversations through the Alexa devices. Although they responded that it is solely for enhancing or improving the user experience and making the device better, it is unsettling that the conversations of users in the privacy of their homes are, in fact, not private.

The above are just a few of examples of default settings you want to keep in mind regarding your personal device. Major Key: Be sure that your settings allow for software update notifications or automatic updates. These updates include antivirus software.

4| Be sure your phone can remotely wipe out data. Several years ago, while checking my mailbox in the mailroom of my building, I unintentionally left my smartphone on the ledge above my mailbox. When I realized and returned for it, it was already gone. I immediately called my carrier to have them “brick” my phone wiping it clean and rendering it unusable for the person whole took it. This capability was a major stress relief considering the amount of information I had accumulated on that device. Be sure to ask ahead of a theft or loss whether you or your provider has the capability for remote access to wipe your device clean.

5| Limit App Access to other areas of your phone. Some apps require or ask for access to other areas of your device such as photos, the microphone or location when you seek to install it. Unless it is necessary to give an app full access, do NOT enable full access. Only allow what is required to use the app, and if that app requires full access and you’re not comfortable, don’t chance opening your phone to a potential breach. More than likely there are other apps with similar features that won’t require full access.

For Android users, you must take added precautions since Google Play is an open market for app developers, which doesn’t vet who can or cannot sell apps to Android users. iPhone users have the App Store, which is not an open market for any and everyone to sell or feature their app without scrutiny. And while there is an added measure of security there, I would still encourage everyone to limit access given to apps.

Bonus Tip:

Make sure your text messages are encrypted. For iPhone users this is usually automatic. You notice that when your text messages are encased in a blue box, this means your messages are encrypted. Sometimes, if you’re in an area with a weak SMS network, the text messages will be encased in a green box, which means they are not encrypted. Unfortunately for Android users, there aren’t preset encryptions for text messaging, which leaves data at risk. Should this be the case, be sure to contact your carrier for possible add-ons or products to safeguard your smartphone.

Learn more at DigitalScribe.co

July 6, 2019