Have you ever wondered what major government officials discuss behind closed doors? Well, now is your chance to find out!
Picture This
Imagine holding one of the highest government positions in the UK as prime minister. Just imagine all the duties and responsibilities that entails. Now, when in a position of power, security of information is of the utmost importance, right? This includes things like communications, files and so much more.
Now, think about this: what if someone was able to just randomly listen in on the conversations you have with other members of the government. Even further, what if a random person listened in on a mitigation plan for the spread of the corona virus.
Think of what could be done with the unauthorized access of private conversations not yet meant for the public.
Well, this week the UK’s prime minister, Boris Johnson did something similar to the scenario above.
Say Hello to the World!
To begin, as of recent, Prime Minister Boris Johnson tested positive for COVID-19. As a result, he is self-isolating and quarantining to prevent the spread of the virus.
Just as well, other members of the government are practicing social distancing and quarantine by working in the homes, private offices, etc. So of course, the leaders in the UK need some type of video conferencing platform to communicate with each other as well as other parts of the government.
Zoom to the Issue
The cabinet took to video conferencing platform, Zoom to engage in meetings and other discussions. The public knows this as fact due to Boris Johnson tweeting a picture of the cabinet’s Zoom meeting.
This morning I chaired the first ever digital Cabinet.
Our message to the public is: stay at home, protect the NHS, save lives. #StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/pgeRc3FHIp
— Boris Johnson #StayHomeSaveLives (@BorisJohnson) March 31, 2020
But, the problem is, when he snapped a picture of his screen showing the meeting, he also revealed the meeting ID (top left corner of picture below).
Naturally of course, researchers took to try and enter the meeting using the leaked ID. Luckily (for the Cabinet) the meeting is password protected. This would prevent any ransom users from popping into a meeting with the prime minister.
So, next time you (or the prime minister) want to show off how hard you are working on your Zoom call, make sure to leave out the meeting ID in the picture to keep the call secure!
By Taylor Ritchey