Zoom will start offering end-to-end encryption next week

Video app Zoom will start offering end-to-end encryption in meetings next week. This happens with free users and paying customers, but users must first enable it in their account and the host must tick the option per meeting.

End-to-end encryption can be used by everyone as a test from next week, Zoom reports. The encryption works because the users’ devices create the key and therefore Zoom cannot decrypt the data on its own servers. With normal encryption, the keys come from Zoom’s servers.

Users can check whether the encryption works, because the software places a number code on everyone’s screen to verify it. If that key is different, something isn’t right. If the meeting is encrypted in the new way, the software will display a logo with a green shield. With the encryption on, Zoom cannot record the meeting.

The introduction next week is the first step. Better ways of identity management and single sign-on will be added to the software next year, the company promises.