EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Next week, Zoom expects to launch end to end encryption for all users. Previously, the company used transport layer security (TLS) encryption, which only safeguarded data transmission between individual users and service providers, rather than directly among users of the platform.

Acquiring a company called Keybase proved integral to heightening encryption standards and offerings. Zoom also reports drafting encryption designs in collaboration with civil liberties unions, an internal CISO council, child safety advocates, encryption experts, government representatives and others. Design drafts have been available on GitHub for several months.

“We’re pleased to roll out Phase 1 of 4 of our E2EE offering, which provides robust protections to help prevent the interception of decryption keys that could be used to monitor meeting content,” states Max Krohn, Zoom’s head of security engineering. For the first 30 days after the Phase 1 launch, Zoom will solicit customer feedback about the feature.

End to end encryption for your meetings.

Meeting hosts must enable the end to end encryption at the account, group or user level. The end to end setting can be “locked” at the account or group level. To participate in an end to end encrypted meeting, each meeting participant must enable it for his/her own device.

The end to end encryption feature does come with a handful of limitations. For example, meeting participants will not be able to join before the host, but improvement plans are slated for 2021.

Do you need end to end encryption?

If you’re sharing sensitive corporate data or intellectual property related information, you may wish to use end to end encryption. You’ll experience peace of mind in knowing that your conversations are secure.

For more information on Zoom’s end to end encryption release, visit CNET.