'Zoom-Bombing' On Rise As Coronavirus Moves Meetings Online

BOSTON — With more meetings and classes moving online to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, the FBI's office in Boston is seeing an increase in reports of "Zoom-bombing."

In once instance, a zoom-bomber interrupted an online Massachusetts high school class to shout a profanity and the teacher's home address. An online meeting at another Massachusetts school was interrupted by someone who displayed swastika tattoos.

During last week's online Salem City Council meeting, an undetermined number of people started posting racist messages for all participants to see.

"The FBI has received multiple reports of conferences being disrupted by pornographic and/or hate images and threatening language," the FBI said in a news release. "As individuals continue the transition to online lessons and meetings, the FBI recommends exercising due diligence and caution in your cybersecurity efforts. The following steps can be taken to mitigate teleconference hijacking threats."

The FBI recommends password-protecting online meeting and said organizers should not publicly share links to meetings on social media. Once the meeting is underway, hosts should make sure participants cannot share screens without the meeting organizer's approval.

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