Zoom Acquires Keybase to Bolster End-to-End Encryption Capabilities
Zoom purchases security startup Keybase in its first-ever acquisition to address recent privacy concerns. The deal brings advanced encryption technology to the video conferencing platform as part of a 90-day security overhaul.
Zoom acquires security startup Keybase in the first deal of the company's nine-year history. Negotiations for the purchase take place entirely over Zoom video calls due to social distancing requirements, though the financial terms of the agreement remain undisclosed. The 25-person team at Keybase brings specialized expertise that directly supports Zoom's ongoing efforts to rebuild user trust.
This acquisition serves as a major component of a 90-day plan that Zoom announces in early April to fix its security flaws. Once Keybase's technology is fully integrated, meeting hosts will have the option to enable true end-to-end encryption. This setting ensures that encryption keys do not reside on Zoom's servers, meaning the company will have zero ability to access the contents of user calls, though it will disable phone dial-ins and cloud recordings.
CEO Eric Yuan prioritizes this move after the company faces intense criticism for "zoombombing" incidents and misleading claims about its existing encryption standards. Former Facebook security chief Alex Stamos, recently hired as a consultant, plays a key role in connecting Zoom with Keybase co-founder Max Krohn. Yuan states that Keybase offers the best technology and team available to secure the platform, which currently experiences a thirtyfold surge in usage.