Expert offers tips to avoid being 'Zoom bombed:' 'Intention is just to mess with people'

MILWAUKEE -- A virtual news conference hosted by Milwaukee election officials on Sunday, April 12 was "Zoom bombed" -- a term used to describe the moment when a malicious actor hijacks a Zoom call.

During Sunday's call with election officials, an ISIS propaganda video began to play. Moments later, pornographic images as well as racial slurs flooded the screen. The call went on for several more minutes before being shut down.

"From what I think, the intention is just to mess with people. To kind of -- be mean," said Maya Levine of Check Point Software Technologies.

Levine is a security engineer -- and said malicious attacks like that are far too common.

"Why this one is unique, or a little bit more difficult from a security standpoint, is because this was a public meeting meant and intended to be a forum space," Levine said.

But staying safe, even in a digital forum, is not impossible. If you pay for Zoom, you have secure options.

"Zoom has a featured called a webinar...and it makes it so that only the presenters are able to share their screen, to present the content," Levine said.

For the free users, you too have tools to stay safe.

"You still have the ability to make sure that nobody else can share their screen, can speak, unmute themselves, all of these options are under manage participants," Levine said.

Keeping your software is also a great way to keep meetings from being "Zoom bombed."

During a news conference, the executive director of the Milwaukee Election Commission apologized for what happened on Sunday.

Zoom statement