Zoom and firewalls.

[LAS14]

The following was contained in an informational e-mail from our Lutheran synod to churches with respect to Zoom meetings. The purpose of the e-mail was to help the churches protect themselves from "bombers."

Most of your people have decent firewalls in place, except Joe and Bonita Klavern don’t even know what a firewall is, let alone update it.

This was the context.

First things first – your emails. Stop using the CC line for multiple recipients. (Seriously, right now!)
An illustration. You send out an email to your congregation using the CC function. The email goes out to all recipients, with all email addresses being seen by all recipients

I'm not up to snuff with modern technology, but I'm not a luddite either. I sort of know what a firewall is. But this is the first I've heard that I, as an individual, am responsible for installing a firewall on my computer.

Do most people have firewalls? How did they get them? I feel like Bonita and my hubby is Joe. It's not a place I usually inhabit. Please help me understand.

tia
las

[TreasonousBastard]

1. You are responsible for your own security,but it's easy....

For email, you can simply email it to yourself and bcc it to everyone else. That way the other recipients are invisible. That's the short answer to your first answer. More complicated things involve your email program, but rhis should be enough to thwart your random bomber.

If you are using Windows, 10 and 11 have excellent built in security. Unless you are a business or government user, you don't need supersecurity applications. Most of the time.

I'm going through the same thing with my church, and there's always one or two who just don't get it, so everthing has to be done on "our" side. What I said so far has been working so far.

[LAS14]

2. If Windows 10 and 11 are good...

... does that mean those who "don't get it" are running older versions? That ensuring a good firewall just means keeping up to date with your OS?

tia
las

[TreasonousBastard]

3. The ones who had problems couldn't figure out passwords...

the antigeek crowd.

Basically, everyone should be updated. Despite any horror stories around, the people who have problems are power users who run things to the max and look for trouble. By the time you or me get things, they are usually fine. The Windows firewall is just fine when it's set up right and updated.

Setting it up could be little tricky, and there are lots if choices. It's pretty tough to really screw up, though and if you have questions, there are reliable sources out there. I usually start with Microsoft help itself.

Now, I have heard people complain about an upgrade starting just when, say, a Zoom conference is about to start. The thing is that you can tell it not to do that and ask you when to download and upgrade. Can't tell you exactly how right now because I'm on my phone, but play around with Start button.

[LAS14]

4. You mean I should be taking positive action to make sure I have a firewall?

I wouldn't know where to start. And if I don't, it's not just Joe and Bonita who haven't done it.

[TreasonousBastard]

5. I think by default it's always on.

[LAS14]

6. Whew! Thanks! nt

[LPBBEAR]

7. Your issue is not firewall related.

"First things first – your emails. Stop using the CC line for multiple recipients. (Seriously, right now!)
An illustration. You send out an email to your congregation using the CC function. The email goes out to all recipients, with all email addresses being seen by all recipients"

You're confusing "Firewalls" with an email issue in your post.

Email applications give you a couple sending options.

1. CC or Carbon Copy
By using this option you are sending an email to multiple recipients. Unfortunately when you use this option you are exposing all addresses to ALL recipients. Beyond the obvious privacy issues some viruses can read these lists of exposed recipients. If a recipient in your list of CC'd recipients has a system infected with a computer virus its possible it may pick up all exposed email addresses and begin to self send virus infected emails to all listed recipients.

2. BCC or Blind Carbon Copy
This option is usually available and is the better choice. It also sends to all recipients but does not expose all recipients to each other. A better option for privacy and security.

[LAS14]

8. It was a quote from our synod techies. They're the ones that talk about fire walls.

I know about CC and BCC. But, like you, I guess, I don't see the connection with fire walls.

[LPBBEAR]

9. From your original post....

it doesn't appear there is a connection. A firewall is completely separate from an email issue.