Zoombombing

1.     In a Web browser, go to montgomerycollege.zoom.comnew window
2.     Click Sign In

 

 

3.    Login with your MyMC UserName and password (if prompted).

4.     In the Zoom interface, click Settings at left. Scroll down this page to see a host of powerful security features which are discussed in detail on this page.

Requiring a password to join any meeting or session is strongly recommended. Generate a random Meeting ID when scheduling your meeting and require a password to join.

See Meeting and Webinar Passwords
new window
Note:
By default, passwords are required for all meetings hosted from your Personal Meeting
ID. It is strongly recommended that you keep these default settings in order to best ensure your privacy while using your Personal Meeting ID.

Only communicate your meeting information through secure channels, e.g. Blackboard, direct email to participants, etc.  Even with a password, if the meeting information is public, attackers or unwanted attendees can gain access to your meeting.

When you schedule a meeting, a Meeting ID link is generated. If you are going to share your Meeting ID link (especially on social media), we strongly recommend using the default “Generate Automatically” option, which creates a random link to your meeting. If you switch to the “Personal Meeting ID” option, anyone seeing that link can take note of it and use it to pop in and out of your meetings at any time in the future.

See  Scheduling Meetingsnew window

We recommend always requiring a password for meetings hosted using your Personal Meeting ID. This is the default setting.  Alternately, you can generate a new Meeting ID for each meeting, and send it only to those you wish to participate. 

By default, MC has locked the screen share option for all participants. To allow a participant to share their screen, the host must make the participant a Co-Host during the meeting.

In the meeting, the host hovers over the user's video, clicks on the three dots, and chooses Make Co-Host. For more information, access the Zoom Co-Host Options job aide (PDF, ) .               

The Co-Host can then share their screen:

• At the bottom of the meeting window, click the Share Screen button
• In the popup window, select the screen that you want to share

Once the co-host is done presenting, the host can remove the co-host permission.  If the participant has not stopped sharing, the host can share their screen and that will force the participant to stop sharing.

See Managing Participants in a Meetingnew window

Just as with any email, avoid clicking links in the chat window unless you know explicitly what they are and who is providing them. Malicious links could lead to your device or account being compromised and personal information stolen.

The Waiting Room is a virtual staging area that stops your guests from joining until you’re ready for them. Meeting hosts can customize Waiting Room settings for additional control, and you can even personalize the message people see when they hit the Waiting Room, so they know they are in the right spot. This message is really a great spot to post any rules/guidelines for your meeting, like whom it is intended for. 

See Waiting Room instructionsnew window.

When you lock a Zoom Meeting that’s already started, no new participants can join, even if they have the meeting ID and password (if you have required one). In the meeting, click Participants at the bottom of your Zoom window. In the pop-up, click the button that says Lock Meeting.

See Host and Co-Host Controls in a Meeting (VIDEO) new window

When you do remove someone, they can’t rejoin the meeting. But you can toggle your settings to allow removed participants to rejoin, in case you boot the wrong person.

See Allowing Removed Participants or Panelists to Rejoinnew window

You can put everyone else on hold, and the attendees’ video and audio connections will be disabled momentarily. Click on someone’s video thumbnail and select Start Attendee On Hold to activate this feature. Click Take Off Hold in the Participants list when you’re ready to have them back.

See Enable Attendee On Hold for Your Meetings new window

Make sure this box in "Meeting Options" (or "Advanced Options") is left blank. This keeps unwanted visitors from causing trouble before you start the meeting.

Hosts can turn someone’s video off. This will allow hosts to block unwanted, distracting, or inappropriate gestures on video.

See Managing Participants in a Meetingnew window

Hosts can mute/unmute individual participants or all of them at once. Hosts can block unwanted, distracting, or inappropriate noise from other participants. You can also enable Mute Upon Entry in your settings to reduce clamor in large meetings.

See Mute All and Unmute Allnew window

In-meeting file transfer allows people to share files through the in-meeting chat. Toggle this off to keep the chat from getting bombarded with unsolicited content.

See In-Meeting File Transfernew window

You and your attendees can doodle and mark up content together using
annotations during screen share. You can disable the annotation feature in your Zoom settings to prevent people from writing all over the screens.

See Using Annotation Tools on a Shared Screen or Whiteboardnew window

Zoom has an in-meeting chat for everyone, or participants can message each other privately. You are able to restrict participants’ ability to chat amongst one another while in your meeting. Doing this will also prevent anyone from getting unwanted messages during the meeting.

See Controlling and Disabling in-Meeting Chatnew window

If you have multiple Zoom accounts (personal and MC account) remember to Sign Out of your personal account before you log in to your Montgomery College account. The MC Zoom website is: montgomerycollege.zoom.comnew window. This ensures better performance, and allows you to take advantage of the above security settings.

For more information see the Multiple Zoom Accounts job aide (PDF, ) . 

If you want to hold a large meeting -- an open forum, town hall or community gathering -- the best protection is to plan ahead. Use these tips to prevent or minimize the impact of a Zoombomber:

• Use a Zoom-generated meeting ID, rather than your personal ID.
• Have attendees register to attend; this may dissuade crashers.
• Select one or more Alternative Hosts to help you manage the meeting in the event of an issue.
• Discuss potential issues with your co-hosts and create a plan to respond to technical difficulties or other disruptions.
• Make sure participant video is set to "Off."
• Disable the option for attendees to join before the host and enable the option to mute participants when they enter the meeting.
• Control screen sharing during the meeting.