Nation
Cybersecurity Expert: How To Protect Yourself From ‘Zoombombers’

“Zoombombers”, a term used to describe someone who hacks into an online group, are exploiting the coronavirus social distancing directives by infiltrating a growing number of online meetings with hateful messages.
A group of Yeshiva University students, a Jewish institution in New York, were “Zoombombed” on Tuesday night by individuals who posted antisemitic comments in their group that included, “SHUT THE F*** UP JEWS” and “IMMA GAS YALL.”
Students at Yeshiva University holding a zoom virtual meeting were #Zoombombed last night by neo Nazis.@zoom_us suggests always password protecting your meetings, muting everyone who’s not supposed to speak, and possibly turning off chat options. pic.twitter.com/SaTPaPjiTG
— StopAntisemitism.org (@StopAntisemites) April 1, 2020
“We are horrified to see this new trend ‘Zoombombing’ gaining traction; for antisemites to disrupt online learning sessions, city meetings, even funerals with their bigotry is shameful. Would the police tolerate a neo-Nazi running into a classroom at Yeshiva University screaming ‘Heil Hitler’? Of course not; the individual would most likely be arrested and charged,” StopAntisemitism.org’s Liora Rez said in a statement to SaraACarter.com.
Well, Yeshiva University was just Zoombombed by Nazis. A lot more than the few pics below. We ignored it but it's undeniably scary. pic.twitter.com/Wyi7RyFJI9
— Elazar Abrahams (@Elazarta) April 1, 2020
“We would like to have the authorities treat those participating in ‘Zoombombing’ the same way,” Rez added. “Real consequences are the only way to combat antisemitism and hatred online.”
In a similar attack, hijackers recently infiltrated a London synagogue’s Zoom session with antisemitic messages after the group shared the meeting link on public accounts to ensure the community could join, including many families and children.
“One of the founding ideals of our community is that we should welcome those who wish to join us for prayer, ” the synagogue’s rabbi said in a statement. “We recognize that many Jewish households are not members of synagogues, or are members of communities that are not able to offer online services. We want to assure them that they are still welcome to pray and study with us.
He continued, “It is deeply upsetting that at such a difficult period we are faced with additional challenges like these. We will be keeping the security of our online provision under review through the weeks ahead.”
Last month, a “Zoombomber” entered a city council meeting in New Canaan, Connecticut to post “references to male genitalia,” according to a report from the New Canaan Advertiser. The town Council Chairman John Engel muted the hackers but they kept “popping up with new names,” he told the new site.
With Zoom being one of the only ways to meet during the coronavirus pandemic, many are questioning how to stay safe in the online chat rooms. Dr. Eric Cole, a cybersecurity expert, former CIA analyst and Founder and CEO of Secure Anchor Consulting, told this reporter that reports of “Zoombombing” that were once a “one-off” event have “increased exponentially” during the coronavirus outbreak.
“The corona and everybody working from home and doing virtual meetings took these small, little problems that we knew about and basically just shined a really big light on it,” he said.
Here’s Dr. Cole’s advice for staying safe on Zoom:
- For churches, synagogues, and other gatherings advertising Zoom links publicly, Cole recommends for group administrators to put participants in “listen only mode”, meaning users can’t post, appear on video, or turn on their microphone.
“Even if people join in, they can’t post anything, they can’t say anything, they can’t do anything, they can only listen and receive content.” said Cole, “That’s probably one of the easiest, simplest mechanisms that’s built into Zoom, but, like I said, because so many people are looking at the functionality, they’re just not aware of how to configure it correctly.”
- If you’re a community leader setting up a Zoom session, there are three configurations that you can control to prevent “Zoombombers,” Cole explained. The first is “whether people are on mute or not, you can override their settings so you can actually lock people on mute.”
- The second way is to “lock out video so they can’t turn on their video”, and, finally, administrators can block posts and comments to stop participants “from posting any comments, any pictures, or any content at all during the call.”
- For small groups, which would be around ten people, Cole advises leaders to “set a password on the meeting and then only give that out to those attendees.” Even if someone had the link to the group, not having the password would prevent an outsider from entering the session.
- Notably, there is a feature called “locking a meeting” that completely closes the meeting completely to anyone, regardless of if they have a link or password.
- When using Zoom, Cole added, users should assume that “by default” it’s not secure, but there are mechanisms that you can implement in less than five minutes to increase security and prevent a “Zoombombing.”

Immigration
Former President Bill Clinton and Gov. Kathy Hochul Call for Changes to New York City’s “Right to Shelter Law”

In a surprising turn of events, former President Bill Clinton has joined forces with New York Governor Kathy Hochul in advocating for significant modifications to New York City’s long-standing “Right to Shelter Law.”
According to reports from Fox News, during an interview with radio host John Catsimatidis on 77 WABC radio’s “The Cats Roundtable” show, Clinton expressed his belief that the law, which mandates shelter for the homeless, should be revised given the current circumstances.
“Gov. [Kathy] Hochul thinks it should be modified, and it probably should under the circumstances,” Clinton remarked, acknowledging the need for change. He went on to assert that the existing law is fundamentally flawed, stating, “It’s broken. We need to fix it. It doesn’t make any sense.”
The “Right to Shelter Law” has been a fixture of New York City for over four decades and is aimed at ensuring that the homeless population has access to shelter. Moreover, New York City is often referred to as a sanctuary city, welcoming migrants and providing them with certain protections.
However, Clinton pointed out a specific concern related to this policy. He expressed his view that the city’s obligation to provide shelter extends to individuals who may not have work permits for up to six months after their arrival, raising questions about its practicality.
Furthermore, Clinton argued that migrants should have the opportunity to begin “paying their way” into American society through gainful employment and self-sufficiency.
“They ought to work,” Clinton asserted, emphasizing the importance of migrants entering the workforce, paying taxes, and supporting themselves economically. He noted that many migrants have no desire to rely on welfare assistance.
In addition to addressing the “Right to Shelter Law,” Clinton emphasized the role of immigrants in shoring up the American economy due to the nation’s low birth rate. He suggested that the United States should consider constructing more housing options near the border with Mexico to accommodate migrants, with the support of the Mexican government.
This approach, according to Clinton, would allow individuals to reside near the border while awaiting opportunities to find work and contribute positively to American society.
Clinton also acknowledged the political ramifications of the ongoing immigration crisis, acknowledging that it has been advantageous for Republicans. He attributed this to the inadequacies in the immigration system and a lack of sufficient border facilities.
The former president concluded by addressing the recent political losses suffered by Democrats in New York, attributing them in part to the perceived mishandling of the immigration issue. He stressed the need for his party to adopt a more “commonsense approach” to the challenges posed by migration.
The alignment of views between former President Bill Clinton and Governor Kathy Hochul on the need for changes to the “Right to Shelter Law” highlights the complexities and evolving dynamics surrounding immigration policy in the United States, particularly in major metropolitan areas like New York City.
-
education5 days ago
Parents, advocates call on leaders to step down after ZERO children pass math at 13 Baltimore state schools
-
Elections5 days ago
Biden impeachment inquiry begins: Hunter traveled to at least 15 countries with VP dad on his official trips
-
Immigration7 days ago
Local TX developer accused of selling land to illegal immigrants creating entire town with ‘four cartels operating there’
-
Politics6 days ago
The Looming National Debt Crisis: The Uncomfortable Truth No One Wants to Discuss