Back in May we advised against using Zoom for official university matters. The reason for this decision was the severe lack in security on the Zoom platform and the subsequent multiple public security breaches which were experienced in many high profile meetings, including in government.
Since our previous communication regarding Zoom security issues, Zoom quickly tried to clean up its act.
But the question remains, is Zoom safe to use?
Unless you’re discussing University secrets or disclosing personal health information to a patient, Zoom is fine to use. For school classes, after-work get-togethers or even workplace meetings where routine business is discussed, Zoom does not pose a high risk.
If you are joining external meetings invitations on Teams, Zoom or other platforms you should use good security practices and not share any sensitive information if you are not sure who is on the meeting with you.
Information Technology recommends the use of Adobe Connect and Microsoft Teams for meetings and online learning. These are currently the only two products that can rely on IT support. These platforms provide staff, students, and external users with access to a full stack of unified communication tools from standard devices or browser.
We still recommend that staff, as far as possible, use the standard software we support. This enables us to provide better support, lower licensing costs and providing integration with institutional system. When adopting software as part of the institutional standard set, good fit with the University technology ecosystem is also considered. If the standard software is not adequate for your needs, it will have to be motivated and the cost will be for the individual or department’s cost. In this case the Zoom license will therefore also be at the user or departments own cost.
If you want to use Zoom for a specific use-case, you must request a consultation session with the Unified Communication Team and see if it is feasible. You can do this by logging a request on the ICT Partner Portal.
