Zoom Changes
Zoom regularly provides new versions of Zoom that offer new features and bug fixes. Follow their Release Notes to stay up-to-date, and make sure to use the latest version of Zoom to take advantage of all available features.
Summer 2020 Security improvements
- Passcode changes
- Sign in requirements
- Personal Meeting IDs
- Join Before Host
- Mute participants upon entry
- Always show meeting control toolbar
- Recording
- Allow users to sign in with work email
- Technical Summary of Changes in Zoom
Berkeley-specific Changes
Summer 2020 Security improvements
As recently announced, we are making a number of changes in order to safeguard UC Berkeley Zoom accounts against further acts of Zoombombing and other misuse, as well as better support remote instruction and remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
We have implemented the following changes to UC Berkeley Zoom accounts between August 4 - August 15, 2020 to avoid disruptions to instruction once fall classes begin:
Passcode changes
Changes effective August 4, 2020
All newly created (or modified after August 4, 2020) meetings will have the following settings applied by default:
- Require a password when scheduling new meetings
- Require a password for instant meetings
- Require password for participants joining by phone
- Require a password for Personal Meeting ID (PMI)
This change is being put in place in advance of Zoom’s upcoming Meetings Waiting Room and Passcode Requirements, September 27, 2020.
Sign in requirements
Changes effective August 15, 2020
All participants and hosts will be required to sign into a Zoom account prior to joining meetings hosted by UC Berkeley.
- See How to sign into your UC Berkeley Zoom account for how to sign in, and Zoom Service Updates for Improved Security for more details about this change.
- External participants or those who are not eligible for a UC Berkeley-provided Zoom account can still join meetings, but they will need to sign in using a Zoom account. They can create a free, consumer Zoom account or can dial in via the phone if they cannot use a Zoom account.
Personal Meeting IDs
Changes effective August 4, 2020
All newly created (or modified after August 4, 2020) meetings will have the following settings applied by default:
- Personal Meeting ID (PMI) will no longer be the default meeting option for regular meeting or instant meetings, although you can still use a Personal Meeting ID. See: Using Personal Meeting ID (PMI) – Zoom Help Center
Join Before Host
Changes effective August 4, 2020
All newly created (or modified after August 4, 2020) meetings will have the following settings applied by default:
- Join Before Host setting will be disabled by default so that a meeting will not start until the host starts the meeting. Participants who try to join before the meeting has started will see a pop up dialog that says "The meeting is waiting for the host to join."
- This setting can be updated if needed, see: Join Before Host
Mute participants upon entry
Changes effective August 4, 2020
All newly created (or modified after August 4, 2020) meetings will have the following settings applied by default:
- Participants will be muted upon entry by default to prevent audio disruption to meetings
- This setting can be updated if needed. Learn more about Mute All And Unmute All – Zoom Help Center
Always show meeting control toolbar
Changes effective August 4, 2020
All newly created (or modified after August 4, 2020) meetings will have the following settings applied by default:
- The host’s Meeting Control Toolbar will default to always being shown during a meeting, but can be updated if needed.
Recording
Changes effective August 4, 2020
All newly created (or modified after August 4, 2020) meetings will have the following settings applied by default:
- To be more consistent with our other cloud services, we have switched the default to only authenticated users can view cloud recordings, meaning anyone who is signed into a Zoom account.
- When you share a meeting, you can adjust the setting to either limit it to only people in UC Berkeley, or to make it available to the whole Internet. See the “Settings for Sharing” section of Zoom’s Managing Cloud Recordings help article for more details.
Allow users to sign in with work email
Changes to be implemented September/October - date TBD
Users with UC Berkeley Zoom accounts will be required to use their CalNet credentials. See: How to sign into your UC Berkeley Zoom account
Users without UC Berkeley Zoom accounts or CalNet IDs should follow these instructions: How to sign into Zoom at UC Berkeley if you don't have a CalNet ID
Technical Summary of Changes in Zoom
SETTING |
RELATED SETTINGS |
PREVIOUS STATE |
NEW STATE |
IMPLEMENTATION DATE |
---|---|---|---|---|
Require a password when scheduling new meetings |
Disabled by default |
Enabled by default |
8/4/2020 ✔ | |
Require a password for instant meetings |
Disabled by default |
Enabled by default |
8/4/2020 ✔ | |
Require password for participants joining by phone |
Disabled by default |
Enabled by default |
8/4/2020 ✔ | |
Only authenticated users can join meetings |
Disabled by default |
Enabled - required |
8/15/2020 ✔ | |
Users must sign in to a Zoom account to join meetings - Zoom account does not need to be a UC Berkeley Zoom account |
Selected |
8/15/2020 ✔ | ||
Only authenticated users can join meetings from Web client |
Disabled by default |
Enabled - required |
8/15/2020 ✔ | |
Personal Meeting IDs | ||||
Use Personal Meeting ID (PMI) when scheduling a meeting |
Enabled by default |
Disabled by default |
8/4/2020 ✔ | |
Use Personal Meeting ID (PMI) when starting an instant meeting |
Enabled by default |
Disabled by default |
8/4/2020 ✔ | |
Require a password for Personal Meeting ID (PMI) |
Disabled by default |
Enabled by default |
8/4/2020 ✔ | |
Join Before Host |
Enabled by default |
Disabled by default |
8/4/2020 ✔ | |
Mute participants upon entry |
Disabled by default |
Enabled by default |
8/4/2020 ✔ | |
Always show meeting control toolbar |
Disabled by default |
Enabled by default |
8/4/2020 ✔ | |
Recording |
Only authenticated users can view cloud recordings |
Disabled by default |
Enabled by default |
8/4/2020 ✔ |
Allow users to sign in with work email |
Users with UC Berkeley Zoom accounts will be required to use their CalNet credentials. See: How to sign into your UC Berkeley Zoom account |
Allowed |
No longer allowed |
September/ October 2020 |
To view list of older changes made in Zoom, see: Older UC Berkeley Zoom Changes