Zoom Recruits Former Facebook Security Chief As Critics Bash The Tech Firm For Privacy Lapses

An upshot tech company recruited Facebook’s former security chief to help fix glitches in the firm’s video chat app that reports say are leaving customers vulnerable to hackers and spammers.

Former Facebook executive Alex Stamos announced Thursday that he is joining an effort to help Zoom right the ship after reports revealed problems in its security system. Stamos made the decision to help after CEO Eric Yuan contacted him after he tweeted out some advice on the topic.

“Happy to say that I’ll be helping Zoom out as they build up their security program,” Stamos told his Twitter followers Wednesday after tweeting a Medium post explaining the partnership.

He clarified his position, telling his followers that it is critical that Zoom fixes its problems as it is becoming an important fixture amid a pandemic.

“I am not an employee and I don’t speak for the company, but I’m happy to engage if you have ideas of what Zoom should do next. This is incredibly important to get right, and not just for business reasons. Zoom is defining security and safety in a critical tech segment,” he added in the tweet.

Zoom is facing significant headwinds after researchers discovered security vulnerabilities within the company’s chat app. Google, for instance, reportedly banned employees from using the application as a result of security concerns.

The company initially grew popular after Americans began relying on it as they adhere to social distancing guidances designed to combat the coronavirus, or COVID-19, which originated in Wuhan, China before traveling to the United States, where it has killed more than 13,000 people.

Researchers also found traffic from the app was being routed through China leading to the Taiwanese government banning the remote conferencing service. Zoom is also facing a lawsuit in California for allegedly giving away the data of users improperly to Facebook and other tech giants.