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.