Unsafe, BNPT Prohibits Its Employees From Using Zoom Applications

Zoom video conference application (unsplash)

JAKARTA - The National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) prohibits all employees from using the Zoom application to communicate online. Due to various data security and user privacy issues that often leak.

This was conveyed by the BNPT in the Circular of the Head of BNPT Number 8 of 2020 concerning the Prohibition of Using the Zoom Video Conference Application in the BNPT Environment Related to Data Information Security.

"So that all work units within the BNPT environment do not use the Zoom Video Conference application when holding meetings with internal and external parties," wrote BNPT in its official statement received by VOI, Tuesday, April 28.

BNPT argued that this prohibition was the absence of data security assurance and the possibility of duplication of traffic reported by Zoom to servers in other countries (China) and of course it could be monitored by unauthorized parties.

Finally, BNPT also calls on every video conference meeting to use other applications that have guaranteed encryption. Not to be missed, BNPT also asked all employees to delete the Zoom application, either on cellphones or laptops or computers.

"The goal is to prevent data and information leakage to irresponsible parties," wrote BNPT.

Likewise with the Ministry of Defense (Kemenhan) which also issued a circular prohibiting the use of the Zoom application in recent video conferences.

In this circular, the Ministry of Defense stated several considerations regarding the use of the Zoom application. It is the same as circulated by BNPT, that there is no guarantee of data security from the Zoom application provider because the application is open.

There is also traffic duplication reported by the Zoom application provider to servers in other countries. This resulted in the potential for discussion data to be monitored by unauthorized parties.

Several research results from the use of the Zoom application have reported data leaks and are acknowledged by Zoom vendors that this has not been anticipated precisely. Seeing this, every Ministry of Defense employee who wants to use video conferences should coordinate with the Ministry of Defense's Pusdatin for further research.

Previously, the video conferencing application Zoom has actually provided an update to its platform due to security issues. Zoom claims in the 5.0 update, the application will have encryption support that is much more secure than before.

The Video Conference Zoom application is gaining popularity, along with the ban on activities outside the home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people use this application to conduct online meetings or study at home.

Recently this application has problems with data security and user privacy. Zoombombing action by displaying pornographic images or videos, often appears in online meetings on the Zoom application. Not to mention the problem of data privacy Zoom users.