Apple Removes Scary Zoom Flaw For Other Video Conferencing Apps

Apple is coming to the rescue of Mac users who were affected by a vulnerability in the Zoom teleconferencing app

Apple quietly pushed out a security patch to Macs that removes software from third-party video conferencing apps left exposed by Zoom's scary webcam flaw, the Verge first reported. 

Both RingCenter and Zhumu, two video conferencing services that automatically install secondary Zoom software, were caught in the crossfire of a nasty bug that let malicious websites remotely open a Mac's webcam and start a video conference without any intervention. 

MORE: Zoom Promises Fix for Scary Webcam Spying Flaw

Zoom, a popular teleconferencing app, has been under immense pressure this last week after it was discovered that the company secretly installs a web server on Macs that can be exploited by bad actors to spy on people. Worse yet, the web server remains on a device even after a user uninstalls Zoom from their Mac.

After changing its mind about the flaw being necessary for the app to work on Safari, Zoom eventually pushed out a patch that fixes the issue. However, users who uninstalled the program before the patch came through were out of luck. Now it's up to Apple to pick up the pieces. 

Apple first released a macOS update to remove Zoom's offending software on July 10. Be sure to read our initial coverage of the flaw for instructions on how to protect your Mac.

Phillip Tracy

Phillip Tracy is the assistant managing editor at Laptop Mag where he reviews laptops, phones and other gadgets while covering the latest industry news. After graduating with a journalism degree from the University of Texas at Austin, Phillip became a tech reporter at the Daily Dot. There, he wrote reviews for a range of gadgets and covered everything from social media trends to cybersecurity. Prior to that, he wrote for RCR Wireless News covering 5G and IoT. When he's not tinkering with devices, you can find Phillip playing video games, reading, traveling or watching soccer.