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[SOLVED] Is it safe to install ZOOM from the web?

Hi everyone,

I need to install the ZOOM software for business reasons. Since I did not find it among the programs available in Artix / Arch (excluding AUR) I downloaded it from the official website.
I wanted to know if I can install it safely or it is better to avoid it.- Attached the screen for the installation command.

Thanks in advance for the support.-

George

Re: Is it safe to install ZOOM from the web?

Reply #1 –
It is not safe because it is binary package from 3rd party.
The question is: Do you trust them?

Re: Is it safe to install ZOOM from the web?

Reply #3 –
No - it depends on pulseaudio  :D
Unless it updates itself somehow you would be better off using an AUR helper to install it from the AUR because it will be automatically updated when updates appear as you run (aurhelper) -Syu. Also you can look at the AUR page to read the comments, any problems might be discussed there.
I think there is some compatibility between these type of apps. So you can connect to Zoom with Discord, Skype or Google whatever and vice versa. Google is particularly good at compatibility (I think, from what I have read) and you might be better off hosting meetings with Google and allowing people to connect using their favorite software interface. But I haven't used any of these. Personally I never worry about third party apps if they come from a reputable source, why trust one group of people you have never met over another. But I would try to use open source software first. I'm not sure if Zoom is fully open source, it publishes source code on Github, but perhaps like Chrome it has closed source elements as well. The FSF recommends Jitsi, Jami and Obs. Perhaps you could use one of these and still connect to a Zoom meeting, I don't know.
https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/better-than-zoom-try-these-free-software-tools-for-staying-in-touch

Re: Is it safe to install ZOOM from the web?

Reply #4 –
PulseAudio is one thing, The other is that it requires Python2 which is obsolete.

Re: Is it safe to install ZOOM from the web?

Reply #5 –
Yes, that would be bad as Python 2 ceased getting bugfixes and security updates this January. But the AUR PKGBUILD didn't mention Python 2 as a dependency. So out of interest I uninstalled Python 2 plus it's related packages which I had for some other build dep reason:
 
Code: [Select]
Packages (10) libglade-2.6.4-7  asciidoc-8.6.10-2  gconf-3.2.6+11+g07808097-5  pygtk-2.24.0-8  python2-2.7.18-1  python2-cairo-1.18.2-3  python2-dbus-1.2.16-1
              python2-gobject-3.36.1-1  python2-gobject2-2.28.7-5.1  python2-psutil-5.7.0-1
and installed Zoom from the AUR.
It DIDN'T require Python 2, but it did require pulseaudio. And it seemed to work when I started it from the terminal, although it gave lots of error messages and didn't go away after I closed the window so I had to hit CTRL C. Probably it is supposed to run as a daemon so you don't lose connection. As I had no meetings to go to or a webcam I can't tell you any more about using it, and will soon uninstall it plus pulseaudio!
But it looks like if you really needed to install this then the AUR version is better.

Code: [Select]
resolving dependencies...
looking for conflicting packages...
Packages (4) alsa-plugins-1:1.2.2-2  pulseaudio-13.0-3  webrtc-audio-processing-0.3.1-2  pulseaudio-alsa-1:1.2.2-2


me@xx:~$ zoom
ZoomLauncher started.
Zoom not exist at current directory - /home/me
Zoom path is: /opt/zoom
cmd line: 
CreateReportChannel bp_server_fd=4
$HOME = /home/me 
Can't load/home/me/.config/zoomus.conf
export SSB_HOME=/home/me/.zoom; export QSG_INFO=1; export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/opt/zoom; export BREAKPAD_CLIENT_FD=3; /opt/zoom/zoom "" 
No PulseAudio daemon running, or not running as session daemon.
zoom started.
Client: Breakpad is using Client-Server Mode! client fd = 3
[CZPClientLogMgr::LogClientEnvironment] [MacAddr: 00:1C:DF:8D:FC:D8][client: Linux][OS: Linux 5.6.15-zen2-1-zen][Hardware: CPU Core:2 Frenquency:3.06 G Memory size:7949MB CPU Brand:Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU     T9900  @ 3.06GHz GPU Brand:][Req ID: ]
Linux Client Version is 5.0.418682.0603
QSG_RENDER_LOOP is 
XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP = XFCE;   GDMSESSION = 
Graphics Card Info:: 01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation G96GLM [Quadro FX 770M] (rev a1)
Zoom package arch is 64bit, runing OS arch is x86_64
AppIconMgr::systemDesktopName log Desktop Name: xfce 
qt.scenegraph.general: QSG: basic render loop
qt.scenegraph.general: Using sg animation driver
qt.svg: link image0 hasn't been detected!
qt.svg: :/images/wechat.svg:10:6: Could not resolve property: pattern0
qt.scenegraph.general: texture atlas dimensions: 1024x512
qt.scenegraph.general: R/G/B/A Buffers:    8 8 8 8
qt.scenegraph.general: Depth Buffer:       24
qt.scenegraph.general: Stencil Buffer:     8
qt.scenegraph.general: Samples:            -1
qt.scenegraph.general: GL_VENDOR:          nouveau
qt.scenegraph.general: GL_RENDERER:        NV96
qt.scenegraph.general: GL_VERSION:         3.3 (Compatibility Profile) Mesa 20.0.7
qt.scenegraph.general: GL_EXTENSIONS:      GL_ARB_point_parameters GL_EXT_texture_compression_latc GL_MESA_shader_integer_functions GL_ARB_buffer_storage GL_EXT_depth_bounds_test GL_ARB_shading_language_packing GL_ARB_vertex_type_2_10_10_10_rev GL_EXT_bgra GL_IBM_rasterpos_clip GL_EXT_shadow_funcs GL_IBM_multimode_draw_arrays GL_ARB_cull_distance GL_ARB_vertex_attrib_binding GL_EXT_gpu_shader4 GL_NV_texture_rectangle GL_APPLE_packed_pixels GL_EXT_timer_query GL_NV_vdpau_interop GL_ARB_polygon_offset_clamp GL_ARB_multi_bind GL_EXT_shader_integer_mix GL_ARB_map_buffer_alignment GL_SGIS_generate_mipmap GL_EXT_texture_rectangle GL_MESA_pack_invert GL_SUN_multi_draw_arrays GL_ARB_texture_non_power_of_two GL_EXT_packed_float GL_EXT_texture_env_dot3 GL_EXT_vertex_array_bgra GL_EXT_vertex_array GL_NV_fog_distance GL_ARB_occlusion_query2 GL_EXT_rescale_normal GL_ARB_base_instance GL_ARB_clear_buffer_object GL_EXT_texture_lod_bias GL_ARB_half_float_pixel GL_ARB_pipeline_statistics_query GL_EXT_texture_object GL_ARB_internalformat_query GL_ARB_texture_float GL_EXT_texture_buffer_object GL_ARB_multisample GL_MESA_texture_signed_rgba GL_NV_texture_barrier GL_EXT_blend_minmax GL_ARB_half_float_vertex GL_EXT_abgr GL_ARB_depth_buffer_float GL_SGIS_texture_edge_clamp GL_ARB_texture_barrier GL_ARB_texture_env_combine GL_ARB_texture_rgb10_a2ui GL_EXT_secondary_color GL_NV_light_max_exponent GL_EXT_point_parameters GL_NV_conditional_render GL_EXT_texture_edge_clamp GL_EXT_texture_swizzle GL_ARB_framebuffer_sRGB GL_ARB_blend_func_extended GL_EXT_pixel_buffer_object GL_ARB_texture_storage GL_ARB_fragment_coord_conventions GL_ARB_texture_stencil8 GL_EXT_blend_equation_separate GL_EXT_draw_buffers2 GL_ARB_program_interface_query GL_KHR_parallel_shader_compile GL_ARB_viewport_array GL_ARB_compressed_texture_pixel_storage GL_ARB_shader_clock GL_ATI_fragment_shader GL_EXT_framebuffer_object GL_ATI_separate_stencil GL_EXT_framebuffer_blit GL_EXT_packed_depth_stencil GL_ARB_texture_swizzle GL_ARB_texture_border_clamp GL_ARB_texture_env_crossbar GL_ARB_multitexture GL_KHR_debug GL_ARB_internalformat_query2 GL_ARB_fragment_layer_viewport GL_NV_blend_square GL_ARB_vertex_shader GL_ARB_invalidate_subdata GL_ARB_draw_buffers GL_EXT_EGL_image_storage GL_EXT_framebuffer_sRGB GL_ARB_shading_language_420pack GL_KHR_texture_compression_astc_sliced_3d GL_NV_packed_depth_stencil GL_EXT_texture_mirror_clamp GL_ARB_draw_elements_base_vertex GL_EXT_window_rectangles GL_ARB_get_program_binary GL_EXT_texture_snorm GL_EXT_fog_coord GL_ARB_texture_storage_multisample GL_AMD_shader_trinary_minmax GL_EXT_copy_texture GL_ARB_map_buffer_range GL_NV_texgen_reflection GL_EXT_texture_filter_anisotropic GL_ATI_blend_equation_separate GL_EXT_texture_env_combine GL_ARB_clear_texture GL_ARB_texture_filter_anisotropic GL_ARB_direct_state_access GL_MESA_window_pos GL_EXT_framebuffer_multisample GL_ARB_depth_texture GL_ARB_framebuffer_object GL_EXT_texture_compression_s3tc GL_ATI_texture_mirror_once GL_ARB_shadow GL_EXT_packed_pixels GL_ARB_texture_rg GL_ARB_vertex_array_object GL_EXT_stencil_wrap GL_ARB_get_texture_sub_image GL_ARB_vertex_program GL_EXT_texture3D GL_EXT_texture_compression_dxt1 GL_ARB_conservative_depth GL_SGIS_texture_border_clamp GL_EXT_texture_sRGB_decode GL_EXT_draw_instanced GL_KHR_no_error GL_ARB_conditional_render_inverted GL_ATI_texture_env_combine3 GL_NV_primitive_restart GL_AMD_conservative_depth GL_KHR_texture_compression_astc_ldr GL_EXT_transform_feedback GL_ARB_texture_compression GL_ARB_ES2_compatibility GL_ARB_depth_clamp GL_ARB_texture_buffer_object GL_ARB_texture_mirrored_repeat GL_EXT_EGL_sync GL_ARB_texture_buffer_range GL_ARB_vertex_type_10f_11f_11f_rev GL_ARB_window_pos GL_ATI_texture_compression_3dc GL_ARB_fragment_program_shadow GL_ARB_derivative_control GL_EXT_texture_sRGB GL_ARB_color_buffer_float GL_ARB_stencil_texturing GL_EXT_texture_shared_exponent GL_ARB_shader_bit_encoding GL_AMD_performance_monitor GL_EXT_blend_color GL_ARB_texture_view GL_ARB_fragment_program GL_EXT_direct_state_access GL_ARB_compatibility GL_S3_s3tc GL_ARB_vertex_buffer_object GL_ARB_clip_control GL_SGIS_texture_lod GL_ARB_shading_language_100 GL_ARB_timer_query GL_EXT_stencil_two_side GL_EXT_subtexture GL_EXT_texture_env_add GL_ARB_sampler_objects GL_ARB_texture_query_levels GL_ARB_texture_mirror_clamp_to_edge GL_ARB_separate_shader_objects GL_ATI_draw_buffers GL_EXT_draw_range_elements GL_ANGLE_texture_compression_dxt3 GL_EXT_texture GL_NV_depth_clamp GL_EXT_blend_func_separate GL_ANGLE_texture_compression_dxt5 GL_EXT_compiled_vertex_array GL_EXT_polygon_offset_clamp GL_OES_read_format GL_IBM_texture_mirrored_repeat GL_ARB_debug_output GL_EXT_separate_specular_color GL_ARB_shading_language_include GL_EXT_texture_integer GL_ARB_texture_cube_map GL_ARB_fragment_shader GL_ARB_shader_subroutine GL_ARB_shader_texture_lod GL_ARB_occlusion_query GL_ARB_copy_buffer GL_ARB_uniform_buffer_object GL_ARB_texture_multisample GL_ARB_explicit_attrib_location GL_ARB_parallel_shader_compile GL_KHR_context_flush_control GL_ARB_transpose_matrix GL_ARB_texture_env_add GL_EXT_gpu_program_parameters GL_ARB_shader_texture_image_samples GL_ARB_provoking_vertex GL_EXT_blend_subtract GL_ARB_robustness GL_EXT_texture_array GL_OES_EGL_image GL_ARB_seamless_cube_map GL_ARB_explicit_uniform_location GL_ARB_ES3_compatibility GL_ARB_shader_objects GL_ARB_arrays_of_arrays GL_ARB_texture_rectangle GL_ARB_copy_image GL_EXT_framebuffer_multisample_blit_scaled GL_INGR_blend_func_separate GL_ARB_texture_compression_rgtc GL_ARB_texture_env_dot3 GL_ARB_vertex_array_bgra GL_EXT_texture_cube_map GL_ATI_texture_float GL_ARB_point_sprite GL_ARB_draw_instanced GL_ARB_instanced_arrays GL_ARB_sync GL_ARB_pixel_buffer_object GL_EXT_multi_draw_arrays GL_EXT_texture_compression_rgtc GL_NV_texture_env_combine4 GL_ARB_enhanced_layouts GL_EXT_provoking_vertex
qt.scenegraph.general: Max Texture Size:  8192
qt.scenegraph.general: Debug context:     false
Error: Send error, 22 Invalid argument
Error: Send error, 22 Invalid argument
Error: Send error, 22 Invalid argument

^Csuccess to create child process,status is 2.
zoom  exited abnormally.
ZoomLauncher exit.

After removing the package there are still some things left in the homedir to clean up: ~/.zoom/   ~/.config/zoomus.conf  ~/.cache/zoom/
(mrlova take note  :D)

Re: Is it safe to install ZOOM from the web?

Reply #6 –
Thanks to everyone for the answers and suggestions, but I think I will abandon the installation on PC, I risk having problems that I would have difficulty solving. "My" Artix runs wonderfully, I don't want to damage it .... I will use the application on Android, even if the screen is much smaller .... :-)

Thanks to everyone really, the forum is always very helpful and ready to help.

George.

P.Š. I can't mark SOLVED, so I leave the post like this?

Re: [SOLVED] Is it safe to install ZOOM from the web?

Reply #7 –
I don't know if I am too late to reply with this, but I am using the zoom AUR package and the zoom-firejail package. I don't know how much protection firejail gives me from zoom, but if you HAVE to run zoom on your computer (I have to), it might help you lessen some of your concerns with zoom.

Another thing to consider too, is you can use zoom entirely from a web browser without installing the binary.

Re: [SOLVED] Is it safe to install ZOOM from the web?

Reply #8 –
another way to install Zoom is to build your own package
Code: [Select]
mkdir zoom
cd zoom
git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/zoom.git
makepkg -s
sudo pacman -U zoom*.tar.xz
 

Re: [SOLVED] Is it safe to install ZOOM from the web?

Reply #9 –
The AUR version works and updates fine, I have used it for several Zoom sessions. Kept popping up like the Skype linux app which does seem to have some spying tentacles  :P  I removed autostart from both.