Zoom may currently be getting a lot of the headlines, but for the 120 million business users of Microsoft 365, Microsoft Teams is the chat, video conferencing, and audio calling platform of choice. While Zoom has plenty of decent live event features, its serious security issues have the company playing a game of catch-up with MS Teams. 

Many organizations agree that Zoom is not worth the security risk, especially for business purposes. Some, including government entities in Germany, Taiwan, and India have gone as far as banning the platform from use and the U.S. Senate has issued a strong suggestion that members should not use the platform for official communications. 

In contrast, Microsoft Teams was developed with security in mind. Here we lay out why it should be your organization’s choice for collaboration and communications. 

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MS Teams: Built for Security and Privacy 

VirtuWorks recommends the far superior MS Teams for communications and collaboration. Not only is it built into both the Office 365 and Microsoft 365 suites, but when it comes to security, “MS Teams has avoided many of Zoom’s shortcomings by including multiple layers of security, such as meeting encryption, that helps keep information and communication protected,” says VirtuWorks CEO Omar Armenteros. “That, in our opinion, makes it the most secure video conferencing solution available in today’s market.”

 Security has been built into every aspect of MS Teams. All logs and videos that are recorded are considered intellectual property, the files belong to the business itself, not the user. This means that your information is safe, even if the original host leaves the company. Here are some other  ways that MS Teams shines: 

  • Identity-driven access with Azure Active Directory means only people with an account are able to use it, this also provides stronger permissions on what can or cannot be done  
  • Granular control over which files can be shared  
  • MS Compliance center catches files or other materials that should not be shared, keeping your data safe from even unintentional distribution 

 Zoom’s Many Troubles 

Looking at Zoom’s issues individually, many of them are less malicious and more sloppy. Taken together, they paint a picture of a company and a product that’s less than flattering. Additional call-in charges for people who can’t attend via video and having to disable popup blockers are two of its downsides. Other issues include: 

  • A faulty installer that took over admin privileges to get root access to the user’s device. 
  • Unanswered questions about where the data the platform is collecting from a computer is sent. Though the company initially denied it, a Motherboard report found Facebook was the happy recipient of user data which was then used for advertising purposes. A class-action lawsuit has been filed in California alleging misuse of data, a charge the company denies. 
  • Zoom touted its end-to-end encryption for video calls, but later retracted that assertion when it was found to be misleading. 

One of the biggest drawbacks to Zoom is its well-publicized security issues, with privacy experts expressing concern over the platform’s risks and hacking vulnerability. “Zoombombing,” where uninvited participants find open meetings and then break in to disrupt them has been a recurring occurrence. What it boils down to is, the lack of a security-minded development and enterprise identity, are truly inherent flaws. Calls have gone out for the FTC to investigate the company and its practices. 

Zoom may be fine for social situations like game nights and virtual happy hours, but its history of security vulnerabilities makes it a poor choice for any regulated industries or businesses that take security seriously. 

In Conclusion 

When it comes to securing your meetings, getting things done without interruption, and keeping client data safe MS Teams wins the debate. VirtuWorks, as an Azure expert managed service provider and Microsoft Certified Partner, is well versed in best practices when it comes to MS Teams, and all Microsoft products actually. Check out our recent webinar on MS Teams to learn some tips and if you want to know more schedule a consultation with us or call us at 888.484.7881.