RALEIGH — Zoombombing. Heard of it yet? It’s named after the videoconferencing app Zoom whose traffic has surged during the coronavirus — and the FBI says we should be concerned.

The agency warned this week of a nationwide rise in so-called “zoombombing,” or video hacking, as large numbers of people turn to video-conferencing platforms to stay connected in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.

Multiple reports of conferences, and even online classrooms, getting disrupted by pornographic or hate images, and threatening language have been reported to the FBI.

It comes as millions across the country are flocking to Zoom, and other platforms like WebEx. It has become a mainstay for companies, families – and even schools – as they try to maintain productivity.

Privacy concerns

But with this surge in use, Zoom is now under mounting scrutiny for its data privacy and security practices.

This week, New York’s attorney general sent Zoom a letter asking what, if any, new security measures the company has put in place to handle increased traffic on its network and to detect hackers, according to a copy reviewed by The New York Times.

In a statement published by the newspaper, the company said it took “its users’ privacy, security and trust extremely seriously,” and had been “working around the clock to ensure that hospitals, universities, schools and other businesses across the world can say connected and operational.”

“We appreciate the New York attorney general’s engagement on these issues and are happy to provide her with the requested information,” the statement added.

FBI guidelines

In the meantime, the FBI has issued a set of guidelines to fight teleconference-hijacking threats.

Among them: Don’t make meetings or classrooms public, or share a link to a teleconference or classroom on public social media post;  manage screen-sharing options; ensure users are using the updated version of remote access/meeting applications, and that your organization’s telework policy or guide addresses requirements for physical and information security.