FBI warns of potential teleconferencing, online classroom hijacking during COVID-19 pandemic

BOSTON — As many turn to online and digital solutions during social distancing times, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has issued a warning about the potential for video-conferencing call hijackings.

Businesses and schools across the world have turned to online servers as a means to stay connected and conduct classes and business while keeping a safe distance from each other. Servers like Discord, Zoom, Skype and HouseParty have blown up since the COVID-19 pandemic has everyone quarantining inside their homes.

Reports of to video-teleconferencing (VTC) hijacking, (also known as “Zoom-bombing”) have emerged across the world. Multiple reports have been filed with the FBI of conferences and classes being disrupted with pornographic and/or hate images and threatening language.

The FBI Boston Division reported two schools in Mass. fell victim to “Zoom-bombing” in March. One local high school reported that, while a teacher had been conducting an online class through Zoom, an unidentified person dialed into the classroom, yelled a profanity and then shouted the teacher’s address in the middle of the lesson.

A second Mass. school reported someone infiltrated in one of their Zoom meetings. In this incident, the person was visible through their computer’s camera and displayed images of swastikas.

On Sunday, a sermon live streamed by the First Baptist Church in Jamaica Plain was hacked by a Colorado man who began spouting off homophobic rants and gibberish.

“Church got trolled this morning," said First Baptist Church Reverend Laura Everett. “The doors of the church were rightly open, and folk who have nothing better to do than shout racist and anti-LGBT slurs to people trying to follow Jesus decided to enter. It was heartbreaking.”

FBI warns of potential teleconferencing, online classroom hijacking during COVID-19 pandemic As many turn to online and digital solutions during social distancing times, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has issued a warning about the potential for video-conferencing call hijackings.

As people continue to use VTC for business and teaching purposes, the FBI recommends being careful and cautious in cyber security efforts, primarily making meetings and classrooms private and requiring participants to enter a password to participate.

“Generally that link they got was posted online say in Facebook or Twitter and then the whole world has access to it," said Cyber Security Expert Robert Siciliano.

Cyber security officials also advise people not to share links to their teleconference meetings or lessons, manage screen-shotting options to be available for the host only, ensuring users are using the most updated version of the application and ensure that their organization’s telework policy or guide addresses requirements for physical and information security.

“Outdated versions of any video conferencing software have vulnerabilities that can be exploited by hackers," said Siciliano. “The host has to be on the button to eliminate anybody who brings in any harassing videos.”

The FBI is investigating both incidents.

If you were a victim of a teleconference hijacking or any cyber-crime for that matter, report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. Additionally, if you receive a specific threat during a teleconference, please report it to us at tips.fbi.gov or call the FBI Boston Division at 857-386-2000.

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