Zoom: Is it secure, can it be hacked, and how do you use it safely?

A relatively obscure video conferencing app has found itself the go-to way for people and businesses to connect while under lockdown. In the space of just a few weeks, Zoom has seen its user numbers sky-rocket as hospitals, schools and even governments make use of its free service to host virtual meetings and remain operational. The huge surge in popularity has brought with it a new level of scrutiny, with the US-based firm now forced to juggle lawsuits and federal warnings alongside the massive strain on its servers brought about by new users. Questions have inevitably been raised about how safe Zoom actually is and whether it can be trusted. Zoom's website and security white paper state that security is "the highest priority in the operations of its suite of products and services".