When Your Webinar Turns X-Rated: Lock it Down (Before It’s Too Late)
- saskia van bever
- Apr 29
- 3 min read
Today, I attended a live training webinar on PR, expecting tips on press releases and publicity, not an unexpected screening of "Adults Gone Wild." Yep, the session got hacked. Strangers barged in and treated us to some inappropriate content. Luckily, it was all adults on the call; otherwise, I’m not sure how I would have explained that to my daughter over dinner.
Most of us happily use Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet because they’re easy, cost-effective, and flexible. I certainly do, and honestly, I hadn’t thought much about security beyond being careful about what personal info I share.
But today was a very firm reminder: even professional or community meetings can go sideways fast if we don’t lock the digital doors. If you're hosting online meetings, webinars, or training sessions, protecting your participants, and your reputation, is critical. Lock it down, otherwise, you might be rolling out the red carpet for "Zoom bombers" whose mission is to simply disrupt.
5 Simple Ways to Keep Your Meetings Hacker-Free
1. Use registration and passwords
Require participants to register in advance and use a password to access the meeting.
Make people register first and require a password to join.
Platforms like Zoom let you set up a registration page where you can approve attendees.
Ask attendees to display their real names before joining. (Because "BigDaddy1999" probably isn't on your invite list.)
Pro tip: Don’t post the meeting link on your website or socials.
2. Enable the waiting room
Think of the waiting room like a velvet rope at a nightclub. You control who gets in.
This allows you to scan names and only let in participants you recognise or expect.
You can also message people privately in the waiting room if needed.
3. Lock the meeting once It starts
Once everyone’s in, lock the doors!
Zoom: Click "Participants" > "Lock Meeting."
Google Meet: Hit the shield icon (Host controls) and turn “Quick Access” OFF.
Microsoft Teams: In the Participants panel, click the three dots (...) and select "Lock the Meeting."
It's a simple way to block late hackers from slipping in.
4. Control screen sharing
This is where today's training session really went off the rails. Let's just say... the people on the shared screen were very close.
Allow only the host or designated presenters to share their screen.
Keep participant screen sharing OFF by default unless absolutely necessary.
5. Have a co-host or moderator
Running a webinar solo is brave, but having a second set of eyes is smarter.
A co-host can:
Watch the chat for weird behaviour
Boot out troublemakers immediately
Manage the waiting room
Help with any tech chaos
Because when things go south, you’ll want backup.
What to Do If You Get Hacked Anyway
Even with all the right settings, things can sometimes go pear-shaped. If your meeting gets hijacked:
Kick out the intruder (Click their name > "Remove").
End the meeting fast if it gets ugly.
Report the incident to Zoom, Teams, or Meet support.
Don't panic, but don't let it slide, either.
Security settings aren't just a nice-to-have anymore, they’re essential. Lock those meetings down. Because trust me, once you’ve seen what I saw today, you’ll think twice before schedule another unlocked meeting again. I know TNE will!
If you’re looking to improve how you communicate, run more efficient meetings, or streamline your operations, whether you’re a business, not-for-profit, or community group, I can help.
At Activate Community Consulting, I work with organisations to identify opportunities for better communication, greater efficiency, and stronger engagement, both online and offline.
👉 Get in touch today to explore how we can work together to make your business or group stronger, smarter, and more secure.
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