Michigan State University will be requiring a password for all new Zoom meetings to restrict unauthorized access to Zoom meetings beginning April 1, according to an email from MSU IT Service Desk.
Users will be prompted to enter the meeting password before being allowed to enter into the meeting room to counteract the onset of ‘Zoom-bombing’ — entering into Zoom meetings uninvited — since transitioning to online instruction in early March, according to the email.
According to the email, if using a randomly generated meeting ID, a randomly generated password will be created. The meeting host can manually change the password if they choose to do so. The password will be visible in the meeting invitations.
This change will also apply to medical-related meetings to comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, the email stated.
According to the email, Passwords will not be required for recurring meetings or meetings scheduled before this change went into effect. However, it is strongly encouraged that faculty and staff create passwords for existing meetings by manually enabling the password feature. If students create a personal meeting for any reason, they will also require a password.
Students, faculty, and staff are also not to use their MSU personal login and authentication information as passwords for the Zoom meetings to prevent security issues, the email stated.
For assistance with passwords and other online instruction related issues, MSU IT Service Desk has an online chat at https://tech.msu.edu/support/help.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
