Update, October 2026: Zoom’s settings have changed since publication. Any host can now turn on the Waiting Room in their own settings unless an admin has locked it, and the in-meeting lock control has moved to Host tools in current desktop apps; the steps below have been corrected. See Zoom’s guides to the waiting room and in-meeting security settings.
Increasingly more people are remote working and many are using the videoconferencing platforms for meetings and training. There is a range of virtual conference solutions out there, including Skype, Microsoft Teams, GoToMeeting and of course Zoom.
Zoom has around 300 million daily meeting participants!
It also has security issues like “Zoom bombings” where uninvited guests may show up at meetings and another more “creepy” vulnerability which left millions of users exposed, which offered access to user’s cameras and microphones.
So how do you make sure that you are following security best practices to keep you and others safe during zoom meetings?
Here is a list of Zoom security best practices to follow when hosting a meeting.
Turn on Your Waiting Room
By turning on the Waiting Room feature, you’ll be able to control who enters your meeting (any host can turn it on under Settings > Meeting > Security; account admins can turn it on and lock it for everyone). You’ll be able to see who is waiting to join and can admit them or remove them. If you don’t recognize the individual trying to join the meeting, you can remove them, and this will prevent them from joining back in.
Join Before Host
Do not allow others to join a meeting before you, as the host, have arrived. You can enforce this setting for a group under “Account Settings.”
Don’t Use Personal Meeting ID for Public Meetings
You should not use your personal meeting ID if possible, as this could pave the way for pranksters or attackers that know it to disrupt online sessions. Instead, choose a randomly generated ID for meetings when creating a new event. In addition, you should not share your personal ID publicly.
Require Password to Join
A good way to prevent unwelcome guests from joining your Zoom meeting is to require participants to enter a passcode before logging onto the meeting. For instance, if someone outside of your organization or group gains access to the Zoom meeting link you’ve generated, and a passcode is not required, they could potentially access confidential information. Passcodes prevent such intrusions.
Here’s how to require a passcode:
- Go to “Account Management” > “Account Settings”
- Under “Security” you can toggle on the passcode feature if it’s not already enabled
- You can also lock this feature so that a passcode will be required for all of your account users whenever they set up a meeting or webinar
Lock the Meeting
Once a session has begun, click “Host tools” in the meeting controls (“Security” in the web app and in desktop versions before 6.0; on mobile, tap “More” > “Security”) and choose “Lock meeting” as soon as every expected participant has arrived. This will prevent others from joining even if meeting IDs or access details have been leaked.
Keep Zoom Updated
Always remember to keep your zoom software updated. In order to check, open the desktop application, click on your profile in the top-right, and select “Check for updates.”
Correction, 26 October 2026: this article said you must be an account administrator to turn on the Waiting Room; any host can turn it on for their own meetings unless an admin has locked the setting.