Zoom Acquires Keybase to Enhance Security and Privacy Capabilities

In a move aimed at addressing concerns over privacy and security, video conferencing app Zoom has acquired secure messaging and file-sharing service Keybase for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition comes as a response to recent media reports highlighting the privacy flaws in Zoom's application, which have led to a decline in the company's stock.

According to a court filing by shareholder Michael Drieu, the recent negative publicity surrounding Zoom's privacy issues has resulted in a significant drop in the company's stock. This development is attributed to the lawsuit filed against Zoom in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, which accuses the app of overstating its privacy standards and failing to disclose that its service was not end-to-end encrypted.

To address these concerns, Zoom has hired Facebook's chief security officer Alex Stamos as an advisor. Under this new partnership, leaders from both companies will work together to determine the future of the Keybase product. Max Krohn, Keybase co-founder and developer, will lead the Zoom security engineering team, reporting directly to Yuan.

The acquisition is expected to accelerate Zoom's plan to build end-to-end encryption that can reach current scalability. Keybase brings deep encryption and security expertise to Zoom, which will significantly advance the company's 90-day plan to enhance its security efforts. Members of Zoom's security engineering function will contribute to this effort, focusing on proactive identification, addressing, and enhancement of the security and privacy capabilities of the platform.

Yuan, chief executive of Zoom, emphasized the importance of Keybase in advancing the company's security efforts, stating that 'Keybase brings deep encryption and security expertise to Zoom - bringing on a cohesive group of security engineers like this significantly advances our 90-day plan to enhance security efforts.'

The acquisition is expected to strengthen Zoom's position as a leader in video conferencing technology, while also addressing concerns over privacy and security. As the company continues to grow and expand its services, it is clear that security and privacy will remain top priorities for both Zoom and Keybase.

Zoom keybase app images from being