Zoom's Drawing Tool Had a Dangerous Flaw — Update Now

Security researchers discovered a serious flaw in Zoom's annotation tool — the feature that lets meeting participants draw or type on a shared screen. The vulnerability meant that anyone sharing their screen could potentially have taken control of other attendees' devices, and vice versa. Alarmingly, exploiting the flaw required no clicks, downloads, or prompts from the victim, and there was no visible sign that anything was wrong.

This type of vulnerability is especially concerning because video conferencing tools like Zoom are used daily by businesses of all sizes to share sensitive information, screens, and documents. A flaw that requires zero interaction from the victim removes the usual safety net of user caution — even careful, security-aware staff could have been affected simply by attending a meeting.

Zoom has since addressed the issue, and users are strongly encouraged to ensure they are running the latest version of the app. As remote and hybrid work remain common for Australian small businesses, this incident is a reminder that everyday collaboration tools can carry hidden risks that require ongoing vigilance and prompt patching.