Zoom Gets Post-Quantum End-to-End Encryption

Zoom Video Communications has added post-quantum end-to-end encryption (E2EE) to Zoom Meetings with Zoom Phone and Zoom Rooms slated to follow.

The launch makes Zoom the first unified communications as a service company to offer the post-quantum E2EE for video conferencing. 

Zoom said it made the move now to counter “harvest now, decrypt later” threats, which describe cybercriminals storing encrypted user data until future quantum computers are able to decrypt them.

The company’s post-quantum encryption uses Kyber 768, one of the algorithms being standardized by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to replace the widely used public-key cryptosystems currently in use that could potentially be broken by quantum computers.

“While powerful quantum computers with this capability are not yet generally available, Zoom has taken a proactive stance by upgrading the algorithms designed to be able to withstand these potential future threats,” the company explained. 

When users enable E2EE for their meetings, Zoom’s system provides only the participants with access to the encryption keys that are used to encrypt the meeting.

Because Zoom’s servers do not have the necessary decryption key, the encrypted data that passes through Zoom’s servers is indecipherable.

Related:Apple Brings Post-Quantum Encryption to iMessage

Existing Zoom software already provided standard E2EE encryption but the company has upgraded it to post-quantum E2EE standards. 

“Since we launched end-to-end encryption for Zoom Meetings in 2020 and Zoom Phone in 2022, we have seen customers increasingly use the feature, which demonstrates how important it is for us to offer our customers a secure platform that meets their unique needs,” said Zoom chief information security officer Michael Adams.

“With the launch of post-quantum E2EE, we are doubling down on security and providing leading-edge features for users to help protect their data. At Zoom, we continuously adapt as the security threat landscape evolves, with the goal of keeping our users protected.”

Zoom has provided information on which versions and platforms of Zoom Workplace support using post-quantum E2EE here.