Zoom adds two-factor authentication in latest security update

Zoom has added two-factor authentication (2FA) as a new layer of security for the video conferencing app.

2FA is a log-in system which requires users to provide an additional piece of information, such as a pin code sent via text message, as well as a password.

Zoom said the addition of the feature would help business and personal users “reduce the risk of identity theft and security breaches by adding an extra layer of security that prevents bad actors from accessing accounts by guessing passwords or gaining access to employees’ or students’ devices”.

The video calling app has seen huge grown in its userbase this year as hundreds of millions of people globally turned to the platform during lockdown for work and staying in touch.

However, a number of security and privacy flaws were found within the app, including incidents of “Zoombombing”, where strangers were able to force their way into calls, often sharing harmful content to those present.

In response, Zoom launched a major overhaul of its security features and has rolled out a number of updates to the app to better protect users.

In a blog post announcing the 2FA update, the company said: “Zoom’s enhanced Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) makes it easier for admins and organisations to protect their users and prevent security breaches right from our own platform.

“Two-Factor Authentication identifies online users by requiring them to present two or more pieces of evidence, or credentials, that authenticate their ownership of the account, such as something the user knows (a password or pin), something the user owns (a smart card or mobile device), or something the user has (fingerprints, voice).”