Zoom wants you to update to its newer version, it's a matter of security

In a recent blog post by Zoom, the company urges users to update to Zoom 5.0 or greater by May 30, as that version introduces enhanced security features and improvements. Anyone still using an older version of the Zoom app or desktop client after that date will be cut off, until they update. On its website, Zoom has a help page on how to update the Zoom mobile app or desktop client.

As we've seen over the last few months, the skyrocketing success of the video conferencing service Zoom brought on challenges the team behind it may not have been prepared for, with concerns over Zoom's security and privacy leading several companies, including SpaceX, to ban its usage. Zoom usage by students and teachers in NYC public schools was banned soon after, with the same ban reaching even US Senate and Google employees eventually.

This led to Zoom announcing a 90-day security plan to earn back its users' trust, followed by the release of Zoom 5.0, which comes with updated, and more accessible security controls. Zoom 5.0 also makes passwords for meetings active by default, in order to reduce what are now known as Zoom-bombings - the intrusion of uninvited individuals in others' video conferences.

Why updating to Zoom 5.0 or higher is important

In its recent blog post, the company explains that Zoom 5.0 includes security enhancements and a stronger encryption standard, to further ensure that Zoom conferences cannot be intercepted by uninvited people.

Security features are now also more easily accessible to Zoom Rooms hosts, and new room management features have been introduced, such as the ability for a host to assign a new meeting host when leaving.

Android users can get or update Zoom from the Google Play store here, while iPhone and iPad users can do it here.