Technology Services, Zoom Changelog

This page contains information about Zoom, which provides Voice and Video, a critical function. This article is updated following changes to Zoom that may require modifications to customer behavior, procedures, or expectations. More information can be found here:

Zoom Release Notes

Current Version requirement:

Deadline Minimum Version Associated Clients
April 6th, 2024, 12:01 am CDT 5.17.5 Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, VDI
January 12th, 2024, 12:01 am CST 5.17.1 Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
5.16.10 VDI
Dec 16th, 2023, 12:01 am CST 5.16.0 Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, VDI
Sept 8th, 2023, 12:01 am CDT 5.15.7 Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
July 12th 2023, 12:01 am CDT 5.15.2 Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, VDI
April 13th 2023, 12:01 am CDT 5.14.0 Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
5.13.10 VDI
December 17th, 2022 12:01 am CST 5.12.6 Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, VDI
September 10th, 2022 12:01 am CDT 5.11.9 Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
June 18th, 2022 12:01 am CDT 5.10.0 Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
January 12th, 2022 12:00 am CST 5.8.6 Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
5.0.1(4295.1111) Chrome OS
August 8th, 2021 12:00 am CDT 5.7.0 Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
5.0.1(4287.0524) Chrome OS

Upcoming Events

April 6th, 2024

On April 6 at 12:01 am CDT, the minimum Zoom Meeting Client will be version 5.17.5 or newer for Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, Linux, and Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) 

Recent security vulnerabilities affecting various Zoom meeting clients were discovered. These flaws could allow bad actors to compromise a user's device.  

  • CVE-2024-24693 (CVSS score: 7.2) – Zoom Rooms Client for Windows - Improper Access Control
  • CVE-2024-24692 (CVSS score: 5.3) – Zoom Rooms Client for Windows - Race Condition

Past Events

January 12th, 2024

On January 12 at 12:01 am, the minimum Zoom Meeting Client will be version 5.17.1 or newer for Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, Linux, and version 5.16.10 for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) 

Recent security vulnerabilities affecting various Zoom meeting clients were discovered. These flaws could allow bad actors to compromise a user's device.  

New vulnerabilities 

  • CVE-2023-49646  (CVSS score: 5.4) – Zoom Clients - Improper Authentication 
  • CVE-2023-43586  (CVSS score: 7.3) – Zoom Desktop Client for Windows, Zoom VDI Client for Windows and Zoom SDKs for Windows - Path Traversal 
  • CVE-2023-43585  (CVSS score: 7.1) – Zoom Mobile App for iOS and SDKs for iOS - Improper Access Control 
  • CVE-2023-43583  (CVSS score: 4.9) – Zoom Mobile App for Android, Zoom Mobile App for iOS and Zoom SDKs - Cryptographic Issues 

December 16th, 2023

On December 16th at 12:01 am CST, Technology Services will require Zoom Meeting Client 5.16.0 or newer for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux and VDI. 

Recently, Technology Services has become aware of security vulnerabilities affecting various Zoom meeting clients prior to version 5.16.0. These flaws could allow bad actors to compromise another user's device. 

  • CVE-2023-39202  (CVSS score: 3.1) – Zoom Rooms Client for Windows and Zoom VDI Client - Untrusted Search Path
  • CVE-2023-39203  (CVSS score: 4.3) – Zoom Desktop Client for Windows and Zoom VDI Client - Uncontrolled Resource Consumption
  • CVE-2023-39204  (CVSS score: 4.3) – Zoom Clients - Buffer Overflow
  • CVE-2023-39205  (CVSS score: 4.3) – Zoom Clients - Improper Conditions Check
  • CVE-2023-39206  (CVSS score: 3.7) – Zoom Clients - Buffer Overflow
  • CVE-2023-39199  (CVSS score: 4.9) – Zoom Clients - Cryptographic Issues
  • CVE-2023-43588  (CVSS score: 3.5) – Zoom Clients - Insufficient Control Flow Management
  • CVE-2023-43582  (CVSS score: 5.5) – Zoom Clients - Improper Authorization

August 18, 2022

On August 18th, 2023 at 9:00 PM CDT the Zoom team will edit the default recording setting to show a disclaimer to all meeting participants by default.

This setting will be changed for all Zoom user accounts that have not edited this setting in the past and/or all newly created Zoom accounts beyond August 18th at 9:00 PM.

The Recording notification setting will be changed to what's shown below:
This image shows the setting change for August 18

The recording disclaimer will be left to default shown below:

This image shows the default recording dislclaimer

July 12, 2023

On July 12 at 12:01 am CDT, Technology Services will require Zoom Meeting Client 5.12.2 or newer for Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux and the VDI Windows Meeting Client. 

Recently, Technology Services has become aware of security vulnerabilities affecting various Zoom meeting clients prior to version 5.14.10. These flaws could allow bad actors to compromise another user's device. 

  • CVE-2023-36539  (CVSS score: 5.3) – Exposure of Sensitive Information
  • CVE-2023-34114  (CVSS score: 8.3) – Exposure of Resource to Wrong Sphere
  • CVE-2023-34121  (CVSS Score: 4.9) - Improper Input Validation
  • CVE-2023-34120  (CVSS Score: 8.7) - Improper Privilege Management
  • CVE-2023-28603  (CVSS Score: 7.7) - Improper Access Control in Zoom VDI Client Installer

What does this mean for me or the department I support?

  • The Zoom minimum version requirement impacts university students, faculty, and staff. It does not affect external or guest Zoom attendees and those using only a web browser to connect to Zoom. 
  • Beginning July 12th at 12:01 am CDT, Zoom clients that do not meet the minimum version requirements will be prompted to update when signing in. 
  • If you are already signed in to Zoom when the change occurs, you will be prompted to update when attempting to join the next Zoom meeting or webinar.


What action steps do I need to take?

We ask that IT Pros prioritize this issue and take the necessary steps to update Zoom clients to 5.15.2 or newer, across their college or department's managed devices. 


What if I have questions?

Please contact the Technology Services Help Desk at consult@illinois.edu, 217-244-7000, or via request at help.illinois.edu with any questions. 

July 1, 2023
Zoom will update the registration process for meeting and webinar attendees. The new registration confirmation flow will not be immediately available, as it is rolling out to different groups of customers over the next month.
  • Starting on Monday, October 17 Zoom will implement an update to the registration confirmation page for meetings and webinars. The update aims to improve meeting and webinar security by reducing the chance that unwanted participants might locate registration links on the open web and use them to join your meetings without your permission.
  • Zoom meetings and webinar join links will no longer be displayed to approved registrants on the registration page. They will continue to receive the join links in the registration confirmation email sent to the email address they use to register. An image of the new registration confirmation page is below:
    New Zoom registration confirmation page
  • The new design will let meeting hosts decide whether a user can join your events that are already in progress or about to start.
    • Selecting this option displays the join info on the confirmation page if a user registers less than 5 min before the start of the meeting or if the meeting is already in progress.
    • Importantly, enabling this option creates some risk by allowing users to join the session using any email and without email verification.
    • Meeting hosts will see this new option in the Registration Settings dialog when they schedule a meeting.
    • An image of the new Registration Settings dialog can be seen below:
      New Zoom Registration Setting dialog box.

April 22, 2023

On April 22nd 2023, Zoom will update the meeting join flow to help improve the user experience. 

For more information on what is changing, please review the FAQ page

What does this mean for me or the department I support?

Beginning April 22, 2023, users will be greeted with a new expereince when joining Zoom meetings.

To clarify:

    • This change will not affect Zoom Webinars.
    • The new meeting join flow will apply to all previoulsy scheduled meetings.
    • Previously scheduled meetings will maintain the same security settings.
    • The changes should not impact each meeting's settings, the meeting link, or participants ability to join meetings.
    • The minimum client version update on April 13th, to 5.14.0 should ensure all UIUC Zoom users will have the same updated experience tenant wide.

As part of this change, Zoom has also redesigned the Waiting Room and provided additional customization options, including uploading an image, updating the self-preview buttons and making minor changes to the text in the web settings. Any existing Waiting Room customizations are unaffected by this change, and the customization options will remain available through the settings page in the web portal. 

April 13, 2023

On April 13th, 2023 at 12:01 am CDT Technology Services will update the minimum version requirement for the Zoom Meeting client to:

    • 5.14.0 for Windows, macOS, Linus, iOS and Android 
    • 5.13.10 for the VDI

More information about the update can be found at: https://emails.illinois.edu/newsletter/08/285617308.html

February 27, 2023

On February 27th, 2023, Zoom will release new versions of the meetings client and web portal.  Please visit https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/13362923337869-Release-notes-for-February-27-2023 for a complete listing of feature updates.

Meetings Client

  • Activity Center - Windows, macOS
    Notifications for cloud recordings and transcripts, missed phone and video calls, received voicemails, SMS messages, and whiteboards will all be consolidated into the Activity Center. Users can view their notifications, mark them as unread, filter the displayed notifications, and control which activities provide a notification.
  • Cloud recording support for sign language interpretation - Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
    Hosts can enable their cloud recordings to capture sign language interpretation as an additional video file and view option when watching the recording.
  • Save my speaking language - Windows, macOS, Linux
    When enabling translated captions, the user can choose to save the selection to be used for future meetings.

Web Portal

  • Increased number of recurring meetings/webinars in a series
    The maximum number of occurrences in a recurring series of meetings or webinars is increased to 60, making it possible to easily schedule a weekly session for a year. Previously, hosts could only schedule up to 50 occurrences.
  • Webinar panelist list ordered alphabetically
    The invited panelist list displays alphabetically in the Zoom web portal and any exports. Previously, panelists appeared by the order in which they were added.
December 19, 2022

On December 19, Zoom will release client version 5.13.0.  Some features are listed below UIUC Zoom users may find useful.  A list of features can be found in there entirety at Zoom Client Release notes:

  • Speaker attributions for live automated captions - Windows, macOS, Linux
    When viewing automated captions in a live meeting or webinar, captions will include the speaker’s profile picture as part of captions, to make it easier to understand who is currently speaking. If the user has no profile picture, their initials will be displayed instead. Their full name is provided when viewing the full transcript. Previously, there was no speaker attribution in the displayed captions. This also includes other minor caption enhancements to better support multiple speakers.
  • Meeting and webinar countdown timer - Windows, macOS, Linux
    Meeting participants and webinar panelists can choose to display how much time is left in a scheduled session. This timer is based on the scheduled duration and changes to a warming gold color after reaching 5 minutes remaining. Previously, participants could only choose to view the current duration of the meeting.
  • Slide control enhancement for persistent assignments - Windows, macOS
    Participants assigned slide control during a meeting or webinar session will continue to have slide control, even after sharing is stopped and restarted. Previously, slide control assignments were reset when sharing was stopped.
  •  Support for Q&A in meetings - Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
    Hosts can enable the Q&A feature in meetings to allow participants to ask questions, which can be viewed by all, but only answered by the host and co-host. Questions can be submitted anonymously, and responses can be sent publicly for all to see or privately to just the sender. Hosts can also mark submitted questions as something that will be answered live, so participants are aware and can expect their answer to follow soon. 
  • Creation and editing of polls directly in a meeting - Windows, macOS, Linux
    Hosts and co-hosts can create and edit polls during a meeting. Previously, creating and editing a poll launched the web portal, for changes to be made there. For MacOS users, this feature requires macOS version 10.12 or higher.
  • Additional enhanced formatting for in-meeting chat - Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
    Meeting participants can react to and reply in threads to in-meeting chat messages. 
  • Enhanced broadcasting notification - Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
    When the host begins broadcasting their voice to all open breakout rooms, indicators that they are currently live are more prominent and clear. This includes the breakout rooms window where the host initiates the broadcast, as well as the broadcasting notification in the top-left corner of the video window.
  • Enhanced join flow (This feature is currently scheduled to be available for UIUC Zoom users (and other additional paid license types) in mid-January 2023) - Windows, macOS, Linux
    The process of joining a meeting is enhanced to combine the Please wait for the host to start this meeting window and the Waiting Room window together. This new join flow requires version 5.12.0 or higher and is only available for meetings hosted by Free & Single-User accounts initially. 
  • Schedule meeting with chat and channel members - Windows, macOS, Linux
    Users can schedule meetings with members of a chat channel directly from Team Chat. When successfully scheduled, the meeting is added to your calendars, provides a notification with the option to copy the invitation, and also appears as a meeting card in the chat. This feature requires all chat members to have their calendars integrated with Zoom, and currently supports Google Calendar and Office 365 (OAuth 2.0). This setting is available at the account and group levels.
  • Mention groups - Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
    The chat channel owner or admins can create custom mention groups of users, which are all tagged when that group is @ mentioned. Up to 100 members can be assigned to a mention group, with members able to leave the group at any time. Channels support up to 10 different mention groups, but group mentions only work in the channel they were created in.
  • Delete messages in channels you own/admin - Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
    Channel owners and other designated admins can delete messages sent by other users in that channel. Previously, messages could only be deleted by the sender themselves.
  • End of support for iOS 10 and below - iOS
    With this release, iOS users will need to be on iOS 11 or higher to continue to receive additional Zoom app updates. Devices still using iOS 10 or below will have 5.12.9 (5692) as the most recent version available.

  • End of support for Android 5 and below - Android
    In an upcoming release, Android users will need to be on Android 6 or later to continue to receive additional Zoom app updates. Users potentially affected by this will receive notifications in the app, informing them of the upcoming change and encouraging them to update to the appropriate Android version.

October 20, 2022
On October 20, 2022 the Sign Language Interpretation feature has been enabled on the Illinois Zoom tenant.  For more information about how to enabled the Sign Language Interpretation functionality and use it during a Zoom meeting or webinar, please visit: Zoom, Sign Language Interpretation knowledge base article.
September 25, 2022
Zoom has included the following features in their client release:
  • Meeting/webinar features
    • Sign language interpretation - Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
      Meeting hosts can assign participants as sign language interpreters, interpreting one language into sign language in real-time. The host can assign interpreters when scheduling or during the meeting. These interpreters are displayed in a dedicated window, which can be repositioned and resized by the attendee choosing to view sign language interpretation. This requires version 5.11.3 or higher for desktop and 5.12.0 or higher for mobile.
    • Decline meeting invitation with message - Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
      When the host of an active meeting invites a contact directly to join, the invitee can send a message when declining the invite, to provide context around the reason for declining. Some preset responses are provided by Zoom, but custom text can be used as well. The message will appear as a chat message in Zoom Team Chat for the person requesting you join.
    • Enhanced in-meeting audio controls - Windows, macOS
      The desktop client settings for original sound, noise suppression, and other advanced audio controls have been updated to be clearer and easier to use. The in-meeting original sound toggle has been also enhanced to indicate the current status and effect when the toggle is clicked.
    • Enhanced Self-view and Non-video participants controls - Windows, macOS, Linux
      The Hide Self View option in client settings is persistent across meetings, reducing the need to be set each meeting. Additionally, the Hide Self View and Hide Non-Video Participants options are included in the in-meeting View controls, for easier access.
    • Enhanced in-meeting toolbar for mobile - Android, iOS
      The control toolbar is swipeable, so that more meeting controls are more immediately accessible, instead of being accessed through the More option. This enhancement will not be immediately available for all users, as it is rolling out over time.
  • Meeting features
    • Schedule recurring meetings - Windows, macOS
      Users can schedule a recurring meeting from the desktop client, setting a specific recurrence pattern, just as they can in the scheduler in the web portal. This feature will not be immediately available for all users, as it is rolling out over time.
September 10, 2022
 
Update to the minimum version requirement to 5.11.9 or newer on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android for UIUC Zoom users
  • On Saturday, September 10th at 12:01 am CDT, Technology Services will require Zoom client 5.11.9 or newer for Windows,  macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.
  • Technology Services recently became aware of security vulnerabilities that affect pre-5.11.3 and pre-5.11.6 Zoom meeting clients. These bugs could allow bad actors to compromise another user's device.
  • When possible, Technology Services prefers to keep the minimum client version uniform across operating systems to avoid confusion.  Version 5.11.9 is the latest version available across all major operating systems that will patch all the vulnerabilities listed below. We have also extended the deadline to September 10th.
  • This change does not affect external or guest Zoom attendees and those using only a web browser to connect to UIUC Zoom meeting.
  • Beginning September 3, Zoom clients that do not meet the minimum version requirements will be prompted to update when signing in.
  • If you are already signed in to Zoom when the September 3 change occurs, you will be prompted to update when attempting to join the next Zoom meeting or webinar.
  • More information can be found at: September 10 - Important Amendment: Required Zoom Client Update
August 22, 2022
 
On August 22, 2022 Zoom released a new version (5.11.9) of their desktop (Windows, macOS and Linux) and mobile (iOS, Android) clients:
  • End of support for 32-bit iOS devices - iOS
    With this release, the Zoom mobile app for iOS requires a 64-bit device. 32-bit devices will have 5.11.3 (4067) as the most recent version available.
  • Enhanced access to cloud recordings - Windows, macOS, Linux
    Cloud recordings can be more easily accessed and shared from the desktop client. Additionally, a notification will appear when a recording is finished processing.
  • Broadcast mic audio to all breakout rooms - Windows, macOS,Linux
    Meeting hosts can broadcast their microphone audio to all breakout rooms in a meeting. Previously, only device audio could be shared to breakout rooms from the main session.
July 1, 2022
 
Changes to Zoom Meeting and Webinar Registration
  • On July 1, 2022, Zoom will change the way approved registrants receive meeting and webinar join information.  After July 1, 2022, when an attendee registers for an event, the join link will no longer be displayed on the confirmation page in their web browser. Attendees will find the join link in the email confirmation sent to them as usual. This change will help prevent attackers from obtaining a registration link using an email address they do not control personally and limit unwanted guests from joining meetings or webinars.
Zoom will re-enable the 40-minute meeting limitation for UIUC Zoom users with Basic (free) licenses.
  • This means Zoom meetings scheduled and hosted by accounts with only Basic (free) licenses, will once again be limited to 40-minutes.  
  • The 40-minute meeting limitation was lifted at the beginning of the COVID 19 Pandemic and is being put back in place by the vendor.
  • On July 15, the 40-minute limit will also apply to one-on-one meetings for Basic (free) accounts.
  • At this time, Technology Services will not be providing a path to upgrade a Zoom Basic license to Zoom Education (Pro) license unless:
    • The user is eligible for a license but is having difficulties acquiring one.  Please make sure eligible users have signed in to illinois.zoom.us.  If an eligible user has signed in to illinois.zoom.us but hasn't been granted a license, please put a ticket in with the Tech Services Help Desk at help.uillinois.edu, by calling 217-244-7000 or emailing consult@illinois.edu.
    • Colleges/Departments can still request Zoom Education (Pro) licenses for resource accounts.  Resource accounts should not be requested to provide licenses to individual ineligible users currently on Basic accounts.  They can be used for college/departments to host conferences, or as a method to manage add-on licenses (webinars, large meeting, etc).
    • More information about requesting a resource account for use with Zoom can be found at: Zoom, Resource (Service) Accounts
  • Those affected by this change can continue to use their UIUC Zoom basic license. Those who wish to procure a Zoom Pro license can do so directly from Zoom (zoom.us) with a personal email account. Alternatively, if they are eligible for a U of I Office 365 account, they can host Microsoft Teams meetings longer than 40 minutes.
June 18, 2022
 
Update to the minimum version requirement to 5.10.0 or newer for UIUC Zoom users
  • On Saturday, June 18 at 12:01 am CDT, Technology Services will require Zoom client 5.10.0 or newer for Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, and Linux.
  • Technology Services recently became aware of four security bugs that affect pre-5.10.0 Zoom meeting clients. These bugs could allow bad actors to compromise another user's device.
  • This change does not affect external or guest Zoom attendees and those using only a web browser to connect to UIUC Zoom meeting.
  • Beginning June 18, Zoom clients that do not meet the minimum version requirements will be prompted to update when signing in.
  • If you are already signed in to Zoom when the June 18 change occurs, you will be prompted to update when attempting to join the next Zoom meeting or webinar.
  • More information can be found at: June 18 - Required Zoom Client Update
April 18, 2022
New Zoom Mobile and Desktop Client features include:
  • Meeting features
    • Central library of polls - Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
      Users can manage a central library of polls for meetings. They can create or edit polls and use them for Personal Meeting ID (PMI) and non-PMI meetings. Previously, polls for PMI and non-PMI meetings were managed separately. When a poll is marked as available to all meetings, it will appear in the list of polls that can be launched in a meeting. This new central repository will not replace the existing "Personal Meeting (PMI) polls", instead polls created here will only appear in PMI meetings.
    • Enhancement to Waiting Room participants order - Windows, macOS
      Hosts can choose to display the participants currently in the Waiting Room in either chronological or alphabetical order. This is set in the Waiting Room customization settings in the web portal. This feature requires version 5.10.3 or higher.
    • View Breakout Rooms activities from main session - Windows, macOS, Linux
      Hosts can get an idea of how active their breakout rooms are by viewing the list of open breakout rooms. Each participant in those breakout rooms will show their current video and audio status, if they are sharing their screen, and any active reactions or nonverbal feedback.
    • Enhanced Meeting Reaction awareness - Windows, macOS, Linux
      Meeting participants will have clearer indications of which reaction or nonverbal feedback they have chosen. This is useful when the participants cannot easily see their self-view, which typically indicates any active reactions or nonverbal feedback.
    • Gesture Recognition - Windows, macOS
      Allows for visual gestures, such as a raised hand, to automatically use a corresponding meeting reaction, Raise hand. Currently, this is supported for Raise Hand and Thumbs Up reactions.
April 17, 2022
 
New settings and features found at illinois.zoom.us will include:
  • User features
    • Enhancement to Waiting Room participants order - this setting is found at: illinois.zoom.us/profile/setting under the Waiting Room options
      Hosts can choose to sort participants in the Waiting Room in chronological or alphabetical order. This option is available in the list of Waiting Room Options at the account, group, and user levels, and requires desktop client version 5.10.3 or higher.
    • Central library of polls - this feature is found when scheduling meetings at illinois.zoom.us/meeting
      Users can manage a central library of polls for meetings. They can create or edit polls and use them for Personal Meeting ID (PMI) and non-PMI meetings. Previously, polls for PMI and non-PMI meetings were managed separately. When a poll is marked as available to all meetings, it will appear in the list of polls that can be launched in a meeting. This new central repository will not replace the existing "Personal Meeting (PMI) polls"; polls created here will only appear in PMI meetings.

September 10, 2021

August 8, 2021

At 12:00 am on August 8th, Technology Services will require users to update their Zoom client.  This minimum version requirement is necessary for security and functionality purposes.  The table below shows upcoming minimum versions that will be required.  Future minimum version requirements and their associated deadlines will be posted here as well as at: Zoom, Minimum client version requirement.  Note: The minimum client requirement will only affect UIUC Zoom users. These will not affect external attendees joining UIUC Zoom meetings.

July 9, 2021

Technology Services will make the following Zoom settings changes on July 9 at 7:30 a.m. to increase security and usability:

Annotations (not locked) 


  • Turn ON by default “Only the user who is sharing can annotate” option (rather than allowing anyone to use annotation tools).

Non-verbal Feedback (not locked)

  • Turn ON by default allowing meeting participants to use non-verbal feedback.

Rename Meeting Authentication Options 


  • Rename “Sign into Zoom.us” to “Sign in to Zoom” to better align with Zoom's documentation.
  • Rename “Illinois email accounts” to “Sign in with Illinois NetID and password” for improved clarification.
  • The changes listed here are name changes only. Functionality for each will remain the same.

Chat Cloud Message Storage Policy

  • Shorten the Zoom persistent chat cloud message retention policy from 2 years to 6 months.
  • This change will apply to any new messages sent as of July 9.

Enable Gender Pronouns

  • Gender pronouns will be enabled on the Illinois Zoom web portal on July 9th.  More information can be found at: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/4402698027533
    • Note: if you choose to use Zoom's new pronoun field to display your pronoun during a meeting or webinar, you will need to have updated to client version 5.7.0.
NOTE: Settings that are "not locked" can be changed by the meeting creator to meet their own needs at https://illinois.zoom.us/profile/setting.

June 21, 2021

Zoom Client update: A new client version will be released that includes updates, bug fixes and other useful features:

  • Share screen to all Breakout Rooms - Windows, macOS, Linux
    When sharing screen in the main session, the host or co-host can share their screen to all active Breakout Rooms. Any active sharing in the breakout sessions are interrupted and any annotation or whiteboarding prompts the sharer to save them before viewing the shared screen from the host. Host and participants must be on version 5.7.0 or higher to utilize and see this feature.
  • Support for gender pronouns - Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
    If a user adds pronouns to their profile at illinois.zoom.us/profile, they are displayed in their contact card and as part of their display name in meetings and webinars.
  • Request Live Transcription enablement as participant - Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
    Meeting participants and webinar attendees can request the host enable Live Transcription, avoiding interrupting the host to request this verbally or through chat. This can be also requested anonymously.
For a complete listing of feature enhancements for the client release on June 21st, please see: Zoom release notes

June 20, 2021

Zoom web updates: On Sunday, June 20th, Zoom will make modification to their web portal including the following:

  • Support for gender pronouns
    Users can choose to add their pronouns to their user profile. Pronoun information is seen as part of a user’s contact card, and users can choose if they want this information shared as part of their display name in meetings and webinars. Users can add their gender pronouns to their profile themselves.
  • Increased number of biographies for webinars
    Webinar hosts can create up to 10 speaker biographies for the webinar registration page.
  • Allow attendees to join from multiple devices
    Meeting hosts that schedule a meeting with registration can allow or disable attendees to join from multiple devices. Previously, this setting was only available to webinars with registration.

June 12, 2021 - Ongoing

Note: Zoom has temporarily disabled the Active Apps Notifier to enhance the user experience of this feature and make improvements. Please check back for updates.

As of the update to Zoom client version 5.6.7, new security warnings may appear in the "Active Apps Notifier" section (upper left corner of your Zoom client during meetings/webinars). These are new "Enhanced App Permissions details" being made visible by Zoom in order to be more transparent concerning access to your data. Some applications, like LTI Pro- used for Canvas/Compass integration, are specifically named. Unfortunately, others are only listed as "App by University of Illinois". These applications are integrated with our logging and monitoring software and the data being logged has been approved by the Security and Privacy group. Although the explanations listed for these applications paint a wide picture of the data being accessed, we are NOT capturing the content of audio, video, chat, polling, or files. The logged data is used ONLY for troubleshooting Zoom issues and fulfilling security requirements.

May, 2021

With the release of the new Outlook client for MacOS, injection based integrations will be retired, including the Zoom for Outlook plugin. This means the Zoom for Outlook plugin will no longer work after users update their MacOS Outlook desktop application to the May 2021 version.  More information about the Outlook changes can be found at: Outlook for Mac – Planned update for injection-based plugins.

To determine if you have the Zoom for Outlook plugin or the Zoom for outlook add in please review the following articles:

Identify Zoom for Outlook PDF (Mac)

Identify Zoom for Outlook PDF (Windows).

Please add the Zoom for Outlook add-in following the instructions at: Zoom, Get Add-ins.

April 23, 2021

Zoom has made HD video available once again for Zoom Meetings and Webinars.  You will need to activate the Group HD setting, in your Zoom account settings, and set the maximum allowed resolution for your meetings or webinars.

When scheduling a Zoom Webinar, there is a new setting available (found in Webinar Options) called Enable HD video for attendees. This should allow for your Zoom Webinar's video feed to reach 1080p.  You must activate the Group HD setting in your personal Zoom settings before Enable HD video for screen shared video and Enable HD video for attendees will be available in your Webinar Options when scheduling.

This image shows the Enable HD video for attendees setting the webinar options sub section.  This new setting can be found below Enable HD video for screen shared video and above, require authentication to join.

Note: Enable HD video for screen shared video was previously available, but should also be checked if you wish for a high definition shared content area.

Zoom mentions Enable HD video for attendees requires both presenter and attendees to have sufficient bandwidth and stable performance. Please do not enable this option if most participants are joining from the same location.

Also, your webcam video feed will be capped at 720p (potentially 360p for lower-end Windows computers) if you use a virtual background without a green screen.

To learn more about Group HD and Zoom please visit Zoom Support: Group HD

February 7, 2021

Due to new restrictions by Campus Security and the Office of the Chancellor, ALL UIUC Zoom accounts will be required to sign in to Zoom using Shibboleth Single Sign On (SSO) beginning February 7, 2021 at 7:00 am. For more information on the new restrictions, see the January 20th Massmail.

What this means for you:

  • All UIUC Zoom users MUST sign in to their University Zoom account using SSO to participate in meetings, classes, etc. 
  • The change will affect authentication for the Zoom web portal (zoom.us), as well as Zoom meetings and webinars (if meeting authentication is required during scheduling).
    • This will not affect users who routinely access Zoom by navigating to illinois.zoom.us and signing in there (as you will already be sent to the SSO page).
  • UIUC Zoom users who attempt to authenticate at zoom.us with "work email" type (Zoom credentials) will receive an error and should choose to sign in with SSO instead.
  • To log in properly, following the change on Sunday, February 7th, please access UIUC Zoom in accordance with the instructions found at the "Zoom, Logging In" article.
  • UIUC Zoom resource (non-person) accounts must be properly configured and access Zoom using SSO.
  • These requirements DO NOT apply to outside participants. They are still able to join University meetings using their previous sign in method! Outside participants will simply need to create a free Zoom account (at https://zoom.us/signup), if they do not already have a personal Zoom account. Participants from other Universities and organizations with Zoom portals will be able to access meetings using their own account.

For additional information about this change, including help with error messages, please see the "Zoom, Sign In Requirements" article.

January 19, 2021

Technology Services and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion are taking steps to ensure Zoom is a safe, inclusive, and accessible working and learning space for ALL. With this goal in mind, we are taking further steps to reduce online disruptions. On January 19, 2021 at 7am we will be changing the default for the security setting “Only authenticated users can join meetings”. The default for this security setting is currently set to "OFF", but will be set to "ON".  (see image)

What this means for you:

  • The change in this setting will NOT affect any meetings created before January, 19, 2021 at 7am. We do recommend you edit meetings created before this time by turning "ON" the “Only authenticated users can join meetings” security setting for these meetings. The setting can be found in the “Advanced Settings” section of your meetings. Directions can be found in this article.
  • All UIUC Zoom users should sign in to their University Zoom account using SSO to participate in meetings, classes, etc. This KB article references several items that will go out in the official communication, including the proper way to sign-in to Zoom.
  • Participants outside the University are still able to join University Meetings.Outside participants simply need to create a free Zoom account (at https://zoom.us/signup). Participants from other Universities and organizations with Zoom portals will be able to access meetings using their own account. Participants with a personal Zoom account will also be able to connect.
  • Effectively, "Anonymous" access to meetings will no longer be permitted. This security setting will NOT be "locked" so you could turn off the setting. However, we do NOT recommend this action and will NOT investigate “zoom bombings” if this setting is turned off.
  • The default setting for "Meeting Authentication Options" will remain set to "Sign in to Zoom.us".
January 12, 2021
  • The Zoom tool within Learn@Illinois Moodle will be upgraded from LTI 1.1 to LTI 1.3.   There is no noticeable changes in the functionality or interface between the two tools.  The upgrade is being made to better position the learning management systems to receive the most up to date Zoom features in the future.  Please check back regularly for further improvements.
December 21, 2020
  • General Features
    • Support for Apple Silicon processors - macOS
      Zoom desktop client will better support computers with ARM CPUs. A separate installer is available for download in the Zoom Download Center: illinois.zoom.us/download.
Mac M1 Processor download
  • Meeting/webinar features
    • Enhanced nonverbal feedback and reactions - Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
      Nonverbal feedback options are moved to the Reactions button, and all reactions will be shown in the corner of the participants’ video. The host will see each participant’s reactions in the participant list, as well as the aggregate numbers of each reaction at the bottom of the list.
    • Raise hand for host and co-host - Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
      Hosts and co-hosts can utilize the raise hand feature along with meeting participants and webinar attendees.
    • Poll reports available during live session - Windows, macOS, Linux
      The meeting or webinar host will now have the option to download the full poll results when the poll has ended during the live session, rather than waiting until the meeting or webinar has ended. This will launch their browser and begin the download of the CSV poll report.
  • Meeting features
    • Improved grouping of security options when scheduling - Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS,Outlook Plugin
      The “Only authenticated users can join” option is now located in the Security section of the scheduling window, grouping it with Passcode and Waiting Room options to allow for easier selection and use of security features.
December 9, 2020
  • Update to Zoom Desktop App for ChromeOS, version 5.0.0 (4241.1207):
    • Meeting features
      • Self-selection of breakout rooms
        When the host creates breakout rooms with the self-select option enabled, ChromeOS users are able to choose the breakout room they wish to join.

December 7, 2020

  • Change to default behavior of desktop notifications for upcoming meetings
    New users will have this setting enabled by default, reminding them of upcoming meetings through a desktop notification. Existing users will not be affected, keeping this setting as it currently is on their profile. This can be enabled through the Settings page, or in the desktop client’s general settings.
  • General features
    • Partially encrypted meeting warning
      Unencrypted connections, such as audio through phone dial-in, unencrypted SIP/H.323 devices, or streaming via RTMP, will alert the host and other attendees that some aspects of the meeting are not fully encrypted.
  • Meeting features
    • Enhanced co-host privileges over Breakout Rooms
      Co-hosts have the same breakout room controls as the meeting host, such as starting or ending breakout rooms, assigning participants, etc.

Resolved Issues

  • Minor fixes related to macOS Big Sur update 
  • Security enhancements
  • Minor bug fixes

November 16, 2020

With the new client release (5.4.3) Zoom, has added a few useful features:

Desktop Client Only

Non-video meeting interface will appear the same as a video meeting with video off

Meetings scheduled with video off will now just show profile pictures or names, rather than the plain screen with meeting info and options.

Share multiple programs at once

Users can select multiple desktop programs at once for sharing, instead of sharing their entire desktop. Other programs and unoccupied areas in the desktop will not be visible to the viewer. The sharer will always know which applications they are sharing by an extensible green border. Only the user employing this feature will need to be on version 5.4.3, viewers can be connected with older versions.

Desktop & Mobile (Note: 5.4.3 for iOS is still awaiting approval and rollout on the App Store)

Suspend participant activity 
New option in the Security panel to immediately suspend all participant activities, which will mute all video and audio, stop screen sharing, end all breakout rooms, and pause recording.

New Security panel within the in-meeting Zoom toolbar.  Suspend Participant activities, the first option from the bottom of the pane, is highlighted

Pop up message that appears after host selects to suspend all participant activities.  Note, in the above image the checkbox, located in the lower left corner is checked by default to report the meeting directly to Zoom for further investigation.

November 13, 2020

ChromeOS Breakout room fix was implemented 11/13:

Zoom made an update that should allow the meeting host the ability to assign participants who are joining using ChromeOS.

October 22, 2020

New photo on the Illinois Zoom portal at https://illinois.zoom.us! You will now see a stunning picture of the Alma Mater courtesy of Public Affairs.

Zoom announced last week that the Live Transcription feature is now in production. We will be turning this feature on for all accounts in the illinois.zoom.us portal. 

What this means for you: After the change is made, you will only need to enable the setting in your meetings or webinars (if needed). You will no longer have to enable Live Transcriptions for your account at illinois.zoom.us.

October 16, 2020

Zoom added additional capacity for Breakout Rooms used in our portal. During your meetings more Breakout Rooms will be allowed and each Breakout Room will have a greater capacity.  In order to take advantage of this feature, you will need to be on Zoom client version 5.2.0 or above.

September 21, 2020

Zoom Version 5.3.0 Release

Many new features have been added to Zoom for its release of the 5.3.0 clients:

  • Self-select Breakout Room
    The host can now create breakout rooms with the option for participants to self-select which breakout room they would like to join. If enabled, participants can move freely between breakout rooms, without needing the host’s help. Both the meeting host and participants need to be on Client 5.3.0 or later to self-select Breakout Rooms. 
  • Studio Effects
    Users can now apply eyebrows, mustache and beard, and lip color filters as part of their video appearance. This feature is currently in beta.
  • Enhanced scheduling with default settings
    Scheduling a new meeting will always check the user’s web settings and use those as the default. Any changes from the default will be saved for that meeting only.

September 8, 2020

  • On September 8, 2020, the Zoom Team will shorten the time recordings can be stored within Zoom cloud recording space to 30 days. New recordings as of August 13th should be automatically sent to Kaltura/Illinois Media Space (for those with @illinois.edu email addresses) and will not be affected by this change. Recordings in the Zoom cloud recording space older than 30 days as of September 8th will be deleted. We recommend transferring ALL recordings in the Zoom cloud recording space before September 8th.

August 25, 2020 

  • Zoom Live Transcriptions have arrived.  Zoom has included the UIUC Zoom tenant as a late addition to the built-in live transcription beta program.  Please navigate to Zoom, Live Transcription for more information.  This feature will be included free of charge, with no minutes restriction, to all UIUC Zoom members.

August 19, 2020

  • PASSCODES WILL BE REQUIRED FOR ALL NEW MEETINGS AND WEBINARS
    • Please update recurring Zoom meetings and webinars to include passcodes and resend the invitations. Directions for adding passcodes to previously scheduled events can be found in this Knowledgebase article.

  • BY DEFAULT, AUTHENTICATION WILL BE REQUIRED TO JOIN MEETINGS AND WEBINARS FROM A WEB BROWSER
    • This change will require Zoom attendees to be properly logged in to a Zoom account. The Zoom account can be a campus Zoom account, a Zoom account through another University or business, or a free account created directly on the Zoom website. For assistance logging into a campus Zoom account, view this article. This setting can be turned off by a meeting creator, though it is NOT recommended.
  • THE RENAMING USER OPTION WILL BE DISABLED DURING MEETINGS
    • Attendees will not be able to change their own name during a class, meeting, or webinar held in Zoom. This change should help event organizers to quickly locate unwanted disruptors and remove them from Zoom events. The ability to change a name within a meeting can be re-enabled by a meeting creator, though this is NOT recommended. We recognize that there are legitimate use cases for name changes. To get directions on changing your preferred name within Zoom, see this article.
  • ENCRYPTION FOR SIP CONNECTIONS WILL BE TURNED ON
    • This allows for more secured connections to SIP devices. Many people will see no behavior change and this will NOT affect Lync or Skype for Business phones.
    • Streaming to YouTube Live, Facebook Live, or Facebook Workplace will NOT be affected. Streaming using these services is NOT approved for meetings and webinars that include protected information.
  • VIDEO FILTERS WILL BE TURNED OFF BY DEFAULT
    • The “video filters” option will be turned off by default to allow for visual recognition of participants who choose to share their video. The ability to use video filters within a meeting can be re-enabled by a meeting creator.
August 13, 2020
  • On Thursday, August 13th the Zoom Team added integrations for the following applications: 
    • Kaltura (Illinois Media Space)
      • The Kaltura integration allows Zoom cloud recordings to automatically transfer to a user's “MyMedia” within Kaltura at the end of the recording session. The integration drastically streamlines the process of Zoom recordings distributed in Kaltura. Additionally, it gives faculty more insight through analytics and more control by restricting access to their content. For more information about this integration, please visit our Zoom, Recording to cloud or Illinois Media Space KnowledgeBase article.
    • Otter.ai
      • Otter.ai allows for accurate, real-time transcriptions. The integration allows users with a valid Otter.ai license to transcribe meetings and webinars they are participating in. Users requiring assistance with Otter.ai should contact their local IT support or the vendor.
May 30, 2020
  • On Saturday, May 30 Zoom is doing a forced update to Zoom 5.0. This update affects all Zoom clients (Mac, Windows, Linux and ChromeOS desktop and Android and iOS mobile). You can update your Zoom client starting today.  Visit Zoom Support: Updating your Zoom client version 5.0 for GCM encryption for more information on how to update. If you have not updated your Zoom client by May 30 you will not be able to join a Zoom session until your client is updated. Visit the Zoom Download Center to download the latest client. 
  • Future versions released after 5.0.0 will be backwards compatible to version 5.0.0. 
Impacts:
External Users
Indication of an external user:
  • Users will have the label “External” next to their name if they are not part of the Illinois Zoom domain (illinois.zoom.us). This label will be displayed in one on one messages and in the user’s profile details when you hover over their profile picture and in the channel members list.
  • If you signed up with Zoom using Facebook, Google, etc. your account will be listed as “External”. You are encouraged to access your Illinois Zoom account at illinois.zoom.us and log into the client using your NetID and password.
Prevent private chatting with channel members outside of Zoom account or organization
  • Users will no longer be able to privately chat with other members of the same channel if they are not using an illinois.zoom.us account. To continue chatting with contacts outside of your Zoom account, you can add them as external contacts
Copied URL will not include password if the web setting Embed password in meeting link for one-click join is disabled
  • If the host has the web setting Embed password in meeting link for one-click join disabled in the Zoom web portal, the Zoom client will no longer include the password in the URL when inviting new participants.
  • In this instance, session hosts will need to provide the password to attendees, who will have to enter it manually.
Report a user during a meeting
  • The meeting host can now report a user during a meeting by clicking on the Security icon, then Report. This feature will generate a report which will be sent to the Zoom Trust and Safety team to evaluate any misuse of the platform and block a user if necessary.
  • Illinois Zoom customers should also report any inappropriate behavior or security concerns to the Privacy and Security team at: securitysupport@illinois.edu
Added Security
  • Zoom will transition from AES-256 ECB to AES-256 GCM encryption for sessions.  
April 15, 2020
  • On Saturday, April 11 Zoom implemented and enabled a new setting which automatically created a password when cloud recordings were made using the “Record to the Cloud” option. Any recordings that were saved locally then uploaded to a different file sharing service were not impacted. Technology Services discovered the setting on Wednesday, April 15, and turned the setting off for all Illinois customers so it will not be an issue moving forward.
  • When a customer wants to access a cloud recording created between 4/11 and 4/15, he or she needs to enter the password to view the content unless the recorder has updated the setting to remove the password requirement.
  • To remove the password and make the content available without a password, the content owner must visit the Access Cloud Recording Settings in their Zoom account and update the settings. Steps to complete this change can be viewed on the Zoom support page. Review the Viewing cloud recording settings section and the Settings for recording sections.
April 8, 2020
  • The newest version of the Zoom desktop client (4.6.10) is available.  If you are not prompted to upgrade to the newest version of the desktop client, follow the instructions in this KnowledgeBase articleto upgrade manually.  For release notes please see the Zoom support articles below:
    Zoom security menu with the security button highlighted.  The security button is located to the left of the participants button.
 
April 7, 2020
  • A new setting has been added to users accounts: "Only authenticated users can join meetings from Web client".  Please use this setting with caution.  When enabled, users who click an illinois.zoom.us meeting URL, and join via the web client will be prompted for their UIUC netid and password.  This is because the meeting URL is listed as: illinois.zoom.us/########, as opposed to a generic Zoom meeting URL.  If this setting is enabled, users external to the university can still join the meeting via the web client, but they must navigate to join.zoom.us and log in to their own personal zoom.us account, after which they will be prompted for the meeting ID and password if required.   
April 5, 2020
  • The Zoom web client has been brought back online.  All users will need to have authenticated (logged in) before joining meetings via the web client.  If users do not have an account, they will need to sign up for one at zoom.us, or, if eligible, log into illinois.zoom.us.  Staff, Students and Faculty members of the UIUC campus are eligible for UIUC Zoom accounts at illinois.zoom.us. For release notes please see the Zoom support article below:
April 4, 2020
  • News reports have noted that on April 5 Zoom will enforce password protection and waiting rooms by default for basic and pro accounts. The University of Illinois has an Education account, and waiting rooms will not be forced on your account. A reminder that we enabled password protection on accounts by default March 31, but you will need to add passwords to sessions created prior to March 31. You have the option to enable waiting rooms on your individual account, but we do not recommend it for large classes and meetings as they are less effective if you do not know the participants. Someone will also need to monitor the waiting room for late arriving participants if this is enabled. Zoom waiting room information: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/115000332726-Waiting-Room
April 3, 2020: Zoom web client maintenance and Zoom file sharing removed
  • Zoom disabled its web client. Customers cannot join a meeting by clicking "Join from a browser". They must use the desktop or mobile client.
  • Zoom removed file sharing capabilities from all previously-scheduled to-be-scheduled meetings. The feature is removed from host and attendees clients. It is unclear if this is a temporary or permanent change.
  • We recommend using U of I Box or Google Drive to share files.
April 4, 2020: A security vulnerability discovered in Zoom
  • There are reports of a security vulnerability in Zoom that involves clicking an external link within chat. Reports state that your Windows credentials can be passed along to a malicious actor.
  • Do NOT follow the advice of blogs and websites that suggest you alter Windows settings.
  • To protect yourself, do not click a link in a chat window that begins with \\
  • Do not click a link in chat unless you absolutely know and trust the sender.
  • Follow our recommendations at http://go.illinois.edu/zoomsecurity
  • Update Zoom in Windows when asked to do so. Zoom update for Windows 4.6.9, released April 2, fixes this security vulnerability. If your computer is managed by a campus IT unit, the update will be applied for you.
March 31, 2020: Zoom Session password protection, unwanted meeting intruders, aka "Zoombombing"
  • As Zoom usage has grown, a new risk has emerged. Institutions have experienced situations where unknown persons are joining unsecured Zoom meetings and causing disruptions. We need to take action to prevent similar intrusions.We strongly encourage all Zoom meeting organizers to enable password protection for meetings and classes. Existing Zoom invitations will need to be modified to require a password and shared out with attendees. Only the meeting organizer can make changes to existing invitations.
  • The process to manually modify security settings is available at https://go.illinois.edu/ZoomSecurity.
  • To modify a previously scheduled session and add a password: https://answers.uillinois.edu/illinois/99598
  • Beginning March 31, 2020, all newly created Zoom meetings will require a password by default. Meeting organizers and course instructors will need to share this password with attendees ahead of the Zoom meeting. The following settings were set to ON as the default:
    • Require a password when scheduling new meetings
    • Require a password for instant meetings
    • Require a password for Personal Meeting ID (PMI)
    • Embed password in meeting link for one-click join
    • Require password for participants joining by phone