Technology: Zoom acquires the identity service Keybase as part of security push
Keybase launched in 2014 as a
directory for public encryption keys, and has since grown to include secure
messaging and file sharing features.
Keybase profiles are meant to serve as the
center of your online identity. Keybase verifies you, and it verifies that you
actually own other online accounts that belong to you. From there, people can
visit your Keybase profile and feel confident that any account claimed is an
authentic one. Usually, these profiles include encryption keys that can be used
to securely contact a person.
Zoom has acquired the Keybase, an
encryption and security service designed to serve as a secure home for your
online identity. The acquisition is intended to rapidly introduce a
security-focused development team to Zoom, which has been heavily criticized in
recent weeks for security lapses within its highly popular video conferencing
platform. Keybase co-founder Max Krohn will now head the Zoom Security
Development Unit.
The Keybase team is supposed to
help Zoom build end-to-end encryption for its video conferences “that can reach
current Zoom scalability. Zoom has been working on building true end-to-end
encryption for video conferences since coming under criticism over the last
month for making its calls incorrectly appear to be fully encrypted. The
company plans to publish encryption designs on May 22nd, but there’s no
specific timeline for when the feature will be finished.
Keybase brings deep encryption
and security expertise to Zoom, Zoom CEO Eric S. Yuan said in a statement. Zoom
announced a feature freeze last month to focus on security, and this addition
“significantly advances our 90-day plan to enhance our security efforts.”
Keybase co-founder Max Krohn is
taking over Zoom’s security team and the company hasn’t made any statement as
to what this means for future development of Keybase products.
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