Zoom announced that it is extending end-to-end encryption (E2EE) capabilities to Zoom Phone, with meeting rooms expected to receive the same level of encryption in the near future.
Zoom Phone customers now have the option to switch to E2EE during individual Zoom Phone calls between users on the same Zoom account that are made through the Zoom client.
During a call, when users select "More", they will see an option to switch the session to an end-to-end encrypted phone call. When enabled, Zoom encrypts the call using cryptographic keys known only to the caller's and recipient's devices. Users will also have the option to verify E2EE status by providing themselves with a unique security code.
For a Zoom Phone call to be end-to-end encrypted, users will need their account administrator to enable E2EE through the web portal. Callers will need to be on the same Zoom account and will only be able to make individual phone calls. Additionally, both callers must be using the Zoom Phone desktop or mobile client, and both callers must turn off automatic call recording. Public Switched Telephone Networks (PSTN) are not supported.
End-to-end encryption for meeting rooms within large meetings will allow users to enjoy the same experience as a standard E2EE meeting, except that each meeting room receives its own unique meeting encryption key.
You can use this feature when you need to add an extra layer of security to important private conversations or just want to get a few people together in an E2EE meeting.
Account owners and administrators can enable end-to-end encryption for meetings, which then requires all meeting participants to join from the Zoom desktop client, mobile app, or Zoom Rooms. Currently, enabling E2EE in a Zoom meeting disables several meeting features, including live streaming, live transcription, voting, and breakout rooms.
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Zoom came under fire for falsely claiming that its video calls were protected by E2EE. Due to this inaccuracy, along with a number of other security vulnerabilities that were discovered, CEO Eric Yuan announced that the company would halt development of new features for 90 days to focus on its security efforts.
Zoom finally started rolling out end-to-end encryption for meetings in October 2020.
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