Eavesdropping on Zoom

[bruncher]

Does anyone know if it's possible for someone to host a Zoom session, and listen in without a visible presence? E.g. an organisation provides conferencing facilities - could the provider listen in, without the participants being aware?

[kyu66]

Does anyone know if it's possible for someone to host a Zoom session, and listen in without a visible presence? E.g. an organisation provides conferencing facilities - could the provider listen in, without the participants being aware?

Since a Zoom meeting can be set to be recorded automatically once it starts, then eavesdropping will always be possible (even if not in real time.)
The usual rule applies, you can't trust it if you don't control/provide it. Someone else will always have some form of access.

[bruncher]

Does anyone know if it's possible for someone to host a Zoom session, and listen in without a visible presence? E.g. an organisation provides conferencing facilities - could the provider listen in, without the participants being aware?

Since a Zoom meeting can be set to be recorded automatically once it starts, then eavesdropping will always be possible (even if not in real time.)
The usual rule applies, you can't trust it if you don't control/provide it. Someone else will always have some form of access.

Normally there is an indicator on the screen when the meeting is being recorded, so everyone knows that is happening. Is it possible (for people with good IT skills but not world-class hackers) to record the meeting without the participants being aware of it?

[Gerry557]

Zoom isn't totally secure. The controller could sign in and then give control to another person or someone sitting next to the controller or participating person could over look.

There are some clever hackers that could get in too.

I suppose it depends on the subject at hand and how secure you need it to be.

[xeny]

Normally there is an indicator on the screen when the meeting is being recorded, so everyone knows that is happening. Is it possible (for people with good IT skills but not world-class hackers) to record the meeting without the participants being aware of it?

Depends what you consider good IT skills are, and what kind of access they have to the endpoint machines. For example, I suspect it wouldn't be too hard to write/install a customised microphone driver that saved everything it "heard" to a file for later retrieval.

Note that Zoom has previously lied about call security, so they may still have access with no effort.

[BullDog]

Easiest thing in the world to record the entire Zoom meeting (screen) on a mobile phone or on a video camera for later watching/listening?

[vrdiver]

Easiest thing in the world to record the entire Zoom meeting (screen) on a mobile phone or on a video camera for later watching/listening?

Or use OBS (https://obsproject.com/).

Essentially, assume it could be recorded, either directly within Zoom, or indirectly, via another app on somebody else's PC.

VRD

[mc2fool]

Normally there is an indicator on the screen when the meeting is being recorded, so everyone knows that is happening. Is it possible (for people with good IT skills but not world-class hackers) to record the meeting without the participants being aware of it?

No hacking or even good IT skills needed. I do it regularly with Zoom classes/lectures so I can review them immediately after, without having to wait for the tutor/speaker to put the recording up somewhere (and then to discover they had some glitch and it didn't happen!).

On Windows you can record what's going on in a window using the built-in Windows Game Bar. Press <Windows Key> + G to start the Game Bar app.

For a little more info see https://wethegeek.com/how-to-record-zoom-meeting-on-windows-mac-android-and-iphone/ and scroll down to How To Record Zoom Meeting On Windows Without Telling Anyone?

However, I have found the occasional problem with the Game Bar recording, esp. if you happen to be trying to do other stuff on the PC while the Zoom class is underway, so I now use OBS Studio, https://obsproject.com/, which seems to work more reliably (at least, I've not had a problem with it yet), and also allows you to record a whole display, not just a window. (I tend to Miracast connect to my TV as a second display and put up Zoom classes, etc, there).

Edit: snap!

[xeny]

Easiest thing in the world to record the entire Zoom meeting (screen) on a mobile phone or on a video camera for later watching/listening?

It would be apparent that you attended the meeting in that scenario, which I get the impression the OP was excluding?

[bruncher]

Easiest thing in the world to record the entire Zoom meeting (screen) on a mobile phone or on a video camera for later watching/listening?

It would be apparent that you attended the meeting in that scenario, which I get the impression the OP was excluding?

Correct

[torata]

A thought, rather than an answer.
I imagine it could work if a person on the call shared their screen using different software, at the same time. I sometimes use Crankwheel (https://crankwheel.com/) for this, with, for example, people accessing different breakout rooms, but still able to see a central screen.
I'm not sure though how you get over sharing the sound - both mic and speakers.
Possible the above mentioned OBS does that, so I'm going to look into it more.

torata