Securing Your Google Meet Meetings: A Lesson Learned

Yesterday's cyber-attack on my Google Meet meeting serves as a stark reminder of the importance of online security. Unfortunately, my event was hijacked by unauthorized individuals who shared inappropriate content and disrupted the meeting.

Here's what happened:

• Unauthorized Participants: A large number of uninvited individuals joined the meeting.
• False Authority: Someone falsely claimed to be a cyber police officer, alleging suspicious activity.
• Meeting Hijacking: The intruders took control of the meeting and started sharing inappropriate content.
• False Accusations: One participant falsely accused others of sharing the meeting link in spam groups.
• Powerlessness: I was unable to remove or ban the intruders, leaving me feeling helpless.

To protect your Google Meet meetings, here are the tips from cyber security experts:

1. Avoid Using Personal Google account: Do not use your personal account for hosting meeting meetings.
2. Do no sync your contacts with google account.
3. Enable Two-Factor Authentication for all your google account: This adds an extra layer of security by requiring a code from your phone or another device to log in.
4. Be Mindful of Sharing Links: Avoid sharing meeting links publicly on social media or in open forums. Only send them to trusted individuals.
5. Use a Waiting Room: This allows you to control who joins the meeting and can help prevent unauthorized access.
6. Lock the Meeting: Once everyone has joined, lock the meeting to prevent others from entering.
7. Report Suspicious Activity: If you encounter any suspicious behavior, report it to Google Meet and consider filing a cybercrime report.
8. Use a strong meeting password: Create a complex password for your Google account and avoid using the same password for multiple accYesterday's cyber-attack on my Google Meet meeting serves as a stark reminder of the importance of online security. Unfortunately, my event was hijacked by unauthorized individuals who shared inappropriate content and disrupted the meeting.

Here's what happened:

• Unauthorized Participants: A large number of uninvited individuals joined the meeting.
• False Authority: Someone falsely claimed to be a cyber police officer, alleging suspicious activity.
• Meeting Hijacking: The intruders took control of the meeting and started sharing inappropriate content.
• False Accusations: One participant falsely accused others of sharing the meeting link in spam groups.
• Powerlessness: I was unable to remove or ban the intruders, leaving me feeling helpless.

To protect your Google Meet meetings:

1. Avoid Using Personal Google Accounts: For professional meetings, consider using a dedicated Google Workspace account.
2. Limit Contact Sync: Avoid syncing your personal contacts with your Google account.
3. Enable Two-Factor Authentication: This adds an extra layer of security by requiring a code from your phone or another device to log in.
4. Be Mindful of Sharing Links: Avoid sharing meeting links publicly on social media or in open forums. Only send them to trusted individuals.
5. Use a Waiting Room: This allows you to control who joins the meeting and can help prevent unauthorized access.
6. Lock the Meeting: Once everyone has joined, lock the meeting to prevent others from entering.
7. Report Suspicious Activity: If you encounter any suspicious behavior, report it to Google Meet and consider filing a cybercrime report.
8. Use a Strong Meeting Password: Create a complex password for your Google account and avoid using the same password for multiple accounts.

Take Immediate Action in Case of Suspicion: If you suspect your account has been compromised, immediately:

1. Disconnect all your devices from internet.
2. Switch off your mobile for at least 2 hours.
3. Change your Google account password using a different device.
4. Use google option to log out from all your logged-in devices.

By following these guidelines, you can significantly reduce the risk of your Google Meet meetings being compromised. Let's work together to create a safer online environment.