Security Measures for Zoom Meetings for Instructors & TAs

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• General Recommendations
• Adding an Exception for a Non-Penn Guest in Zoom
  • Instructions
• Other Resources

General Recommendations

Penn Arts & Sciences Online Learning recommends the following security measures to instructors and TAs when using Zoom in your course or for an event: 

• Do not post Zoom meeting links on open web pages. If you wish to distribute your Zoom link to students outside Canvas, it is recommended that you only do so through your class mailing list or by registered event attendees list.
• Keep “Allow Removed Participants to Rejoin” disabled in your account settings.  Log in to your Penn Zoom account at upenn.zoom.us to check to make sure this is disabled.
• Add a Waiting Room. The Waiting Room feature allows the host to control when a participant joins a meeting.

Adding an Exception for a Non-Penn Guest in Zoom

Please note: The following information only pertains to Zoom users at the University of Pennsylvania. If you are not affiliated with Penn, please consult Zoom’s website for information on authentication exceptions. 

A Zoom host who applies "Only authenticated users can join" and "Penn users only” or Sign in to Zoom" for a meeting can also add an authentication exception for as many people as they want.

By adding authentication exceptions, Zoom hosts can use authentication as a security feature and can also allow external users who do not have Penn Zoom accounts (e.g., guest lecturers) access to a meeting.

Adding a participant to the exception list emails that participant a unique link to your meeting that bypasses authentication. That link should not be shared with others, as anyone with the link can bypass authentication.

Instructions

For Canvas and Upenn.zoom.us

1. Create a meeting like you normally would via Canvas or the Zoom web page. 
2. Under Security, check the box for Only authenticated users can join.  Select Penn users only or Sign in to Zoom.
3. Click Add next to Authentication Exception.  Enter the Full Name and Email address of the recipient to be given the exception, then click Save.  Multiple participants can be added by clicking Add Participant. 
4. Click Save to create the meeting.
5. Each participant will receive a unique link that bypasses authentication. Be careful with this link, anyone with it will be able to bypass authentication.

For Outlook Add-in

1. Schedule a meeting as normal using the Outlook add-in 
2. Check the box for Only authenticated users can join.  Select Penn users only or Sign in to Zoom
3. Click Add Zoom Meeting to create the meeting
4. Log in to upenn.zoom.us. Click Meetings.  Select the meeting that was created in the previous step, then click Edit.
5. Under Security, click Add next to Authentication Exception.  Enter the Full Name and Email address of the recipient to be given the exception, then click Save. Multiple participants can be added by clicking Add Participant.
6. Each participant will receive a unique link that bypasses authentication. Be careful with this link, anyone with it will be able to bypass authentication.

Other Resources

• Zoom Security Guidance from Penn's Information Systems and Computing
• Best Practices for Securing your Zoom Meeting guidance provided by Zoom