Zoom

Name: Zoom
Rating: 3.1667 (1 reviews)

4.5.2

12 September 2019

Cloud video conferencing solution for meetings.

Overview

Zoom, the cloud meeting company, unifies cloud video conferencing, simple online meetings, and group messaging into one easy-to-use platform. Take advantage of a complete solution that includes video, audio, and screen-sharing experience across ZoomPresence, Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and H.323/SIP room systems.

Note: While basic functionality is free, there are several other price points with additional features. View them here.

What's new in Zoom

Version 4.5.2:

Release notes were unavailable when this listing was updated.

14 Zoom Reviews

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This excellent app is ideal for online meetings/classrooms for 50 (or more) participants. It's not a Skype look-a-like and doesn't try to be. Unlike Skype, you are not shown a user's online status and so cannot just call them for a chat. Instead, meetings have to be pre-arranged for a specific time when the host is online in his/her virtual room.

The host has various controls over participants' activity e.g. the host can mute or activate a participant's sound or video. Any participant can send a note to any other participant or can share their screen and use various markup tools to annotate what is shown on-screen. With the host's permission, participants can activate the inbuilt record button to record the meeting.

Sound and video quality are excellent, although sound quality suffers the more people have their mics active, so it's best to keep mics muted when not in use.

The app is free, but sessions are limited to 40 mins. To remove time limits the host needs to buy a pro account (currently about $150 per year). The app remains free for all other participants and there are versions for iOS, Android, Mac and PC.

(MacUpdate is not showing the latest version. An update to 4.0.29656.0413 was released April 13, 2017)

Like (4)

Version 4.0.25926.0306

Company doesn't care about users' security — I won't be trusting it again and will be rejecting Zoom meeting invites from now.

Like (2)

Version 4.4.55387.0716

I think what this company did is usually considered as malware behavior.

Like (4)

Version 4.4.55387.0716

1 answer(s)

Derekcurrie

19 July 2019

Finally, on July 16, 2019, FOUR DAYS LATER THAN PROMISED, Zoom has updated to v4.4.55387.0716 and UNinstalled the dangerous web server they installed into user's systems. Note: It's possible the delay was enabled because Apple killed the Zoom local web server with a recent MRT (Malware Removal Tool) update. MRTConfigData is, at this moment, up to v1.4.7.

AND it turns out that OTHER apps have pulled the same bad move and installed THEIR own local web servers as well, leading to similar potential security holes. Apple has pushed out two further MRT updates in pursuit of killing these further web server processes. THANK YOU APPLE!

You can check your system's current version of MRTConfigData by going to:
Menu/About This Mac/System Report.../Installations
Then wait for the list to fill. Scroll down the list to the bottom of the MRTConfigData sub-list to see version number and date installed.

If you find your system is NOT updating MRTConfigData, check out this article:
http://osxdaily.com/2011/06/02/check-mac-malware-definition-list-update/

OSXDaily.com has a great series of articles covering XProtect, GateKeeper and MRT. Just enter "XProtect" in their search box.

Derekcurrie

11 July 2019

While Zoom twiddles its thumbs until its delayed July 12 security update... Apple has pushed out an update to their MRT (Malware Removal Tool) ConfigData, version 1.45 dated 7/10/19. MRT is part of Apple's XProtect security system. This MRT update disables Zoom's inexplicably installed faulty web server, which is the core of one of their security holes. More about Apple's fix: 'Apple Pushes Automatic Mac Software Update to Remove Vulnerable Zoom Web Server' https://techcrunch.com/2019/07/10/apple-silent-update-zoom-app/

Like (2)

Version 4.4.53909.0617

Moxiesozo

10 July 2019

Public pressure & shaming has prompted Zoom to update their Mac client app to fix this horrible security hole. Current version = 4.4.53932.0709. Release notes: Remove local web server -We are discontinuing the use of a local web server on Mac devices. Following the update, the local web server will be completely removed from the Zoom installation Option to uninstall Zoom -Zoom users can now uninstall the Zoom desktop application and all of its components through the settings menu

Like (1)

Version 4.4.53909.0617

Derekcurrie

09 July 2019

DANGER!! UPDATE NOW!!!! IMMEDIATELY!!!
Zoom has TWO zero-day security holes! (CVE-2019–13450 & CVE-2019–13449)

Current Version = 4.4.53932.0709
Get it HERE:
https://www.zoom.us/download

1) CVE-2019–13449 - A Denial of service attack. Update NOW to patch!

2) CVE-2019–13450 - A drive-by web attack that can hijack a users device camera. The second hole patch won't be out until JULY 12th!
So you'll have to PATCH AGAIN!

'Zoom Zero-Day Bug Opens Mac Users to Webcam Hijacking'
https://threatpost.com/zoom-zero-day-mac-webcam-hijacking/146317/
"The vulnerability can be exploited on a drive-by basis by a malicious website. A zero-day vulnerability in the Zoom client for Mac allows a malicious website to hijack a user’s web camera without their permission...."

Like (2)

Version 4.4.53909.0617

2 answer(s)

Derekcurrie

09 July 2019

WORKAROUND:

While we wait around for Zoom to fix the camera hijack flaw... MacWorld has posted workaround Terminal commands you can use to DISABLE the offending local web server Zoom inexplicably installs and runs on Macs. Shutting it down cuts off hacker access to your camera. You'll see the Terminal commands at the bottom of the article. No 'sudo' is required. As ever, be careful playing in the Terminal.

'Zoom Mac app flaw sparks serious security concerns—and it’s up to you to fix it'
https://www.macworld.com/article/3407764/zoom-mac-app-flaw-security-camera.html

Like (1)

Dr-Sparks

19 July 2019

This happened to me. I believed I had removed Zoom with AppDelete, but when clicking on an invite it was all back again, without me having approved any new installation. This is terrifying!

I found the MacWorld article Derekcurrie points to, but I am not certain if Terminal did anything about it, even if I entered the phrases in the article. No confirmation, no way (for me) to understand what Terminal actually did, if anything.

Like (1)

Moxiesozo

09 July 2019

From LifeHacker: "The Zoom video conferencing app contains two big security issues for Mac users. First, uninstalling the app the regular way doesn’t actually remove it from your system; instead, by installing Zoom, you’ve actually installed a persistent web server on your system that can be used to reinstall the app without your permission. Why is that a problem? Because an attacker can then send you an invite link to a meeting—embedded in a website, or even an email—which launches Zoom (even if you “removed” it). This joins you into a conference call and, by default, your webcam is on, which could create some awkward moments depending on what you’re up to." https://lifehacker.com/remove-zoom-from-your-mac-right-now-1836209383

Like (3)

Version 4.4.53909.0617

1 answer(s)

Dr-Sparks

09 July 2019

This happened to me. I believed I had removed Zoom with AppDelete, but when clicking on an invite it was all back again, without me having approved any new installation. This is terrifying! I found this, but not certain if Terminal did anything about it:

https://www.macworld.com/article/3407764/zoom-mac-app-flaw-security-camera.html