The 2020 NFL Draft will hopefully be the only one done completely digitally. With the coronavirus pandemic having people social distance, the NFL has dictated every team must run their war rooms remotely from their own couches. That means an increase in video teleconferencing software like Zoom, which has taken the world by storm as more people work remotely.
For Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh, he’s a little concerned about the security side of an all-online draft process.
“I’ve got some real concerns about that, and hopefully we’ll be okay,” Harbaugh said at the pre-draft press conference. He added that he’s been in regular contact with the Ravens’ IT staff every time he reads a story about video conferences being hacked.
With the increase in video conferencing software being used, it has meant a rise in stories of security flaws as well. Rae Hodge of CNET has compiled a list of Zoom’s biggest security problems to date, including recordings of calls being left unprotected and viewable online and live meetings being infiltrated by unauthorized users. It’s let to the FBI issuing a warning about Zoom’s security issues.
From Baltimore’s draft board to their playbook, a lot of information is being shared among the team right now and it’s all critically important to the Ravens’ 2020 season. With a growing list of security issues coming to light, it makes sense Harbaugh is concerned.
“I really wouldn’t want the opposing coaches to have our playbook or our draft meetings,” Harbaugh continued. “That would be preferable, if we can stay away from that.”
Though general manager Eric DeCosta said he’s more concerned with someone leaving their draft board in their car, Harbaugh’s concern is being echoed by others as well.
“How do you make sure your conversations are protected? Someone could hack into this Zoom, and you’re probably not going to learn a lot,” Los Angeles Rams COO Kevin Demoff said via Peter King. “Hacking into a team’s draft room on Zoom is probably a lot different. That would be my biggest concern just from an encryption standpoint of how do you have these conversations confidentially.”
With the NFL and all 32 teams in uncharted territory, no one really seems to have a definitive answer for how to keep themselves protected this offseason. It’s a disruptive and turbulent time for everyone right now and all the Ravens can do is march forward the best they can.
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