Zoom Case Study
When Zoom Video Communications needed real-time change detection across thousands of servers and critical network devices, it turned to CimTrak. The result was improved security posture, continuous compliance, and the assurance that unauthorized changes would be caught and addressed before they became problems. Read the case study to see how Zoom got there.
Why did Zoom implement CimTrak for file integrity monitoring?
Zoom adopted CimTrak’s file integrity monitoring (FIM) to address growing compliance and security needs as the company scaled globally and went through its IPO.
With thousands of systems deployed worldwide, Zoom needed to:
- Achieve and maintain SOC 2 compliance
- Meet FedRAMP authorization requirements for Zoom for Government
- Align multiple security initiatives under a single, manageable solution
SOC 2, developed by the AICPA, is a technical audit focused on the security, availability, processing integrity, and confidentiality of customer data for cloud-based service providers. FedRAMP adds additional requirements, including strict timelines for detecting and responding to potential issues.
According to Zoom’s Head of Compliance, CimTrak was selected because it:
- Supports real-time discovery of changes, which was essential for FedRAMP (Zoom needed discovery within about 5 minutes for certain events)
- Helped Zoom be successful with both SOC 2 and FedRAMP accreditations
- Worked reliably in Zoom’s large, distributed, Linux-based and multi-vendor environment
In short, Zoom implemented CimTrak to strengthen its security posture, streamline compliance, and gain confidence that unauthorized changes or compromises would be detected quickly rather than going unnoticed.
How does CimTrak improve Zoom’s security and operational resilience?
CimTrak helps Zoom both secure its environment and keep operations running smoothly by continuously monitoring critical systems and network devices.
Key ways it improves security and resilience include:
- Real-time protection against unauthorized changes
CimTrak monitors Zoom’s global network infrastructure and alerts the team in real time when changes occur that require investigation. This is especially important for FedRAMP, where Zoom needed discovery of certain events within about 5 minutes.
- Deep visibility into critical server elements
On servers, CimTrak detects and classifies changes to:
- Operating system files and directories
- Data files and file attributes
- Windows Registry entries
- Services, user groups, and installed software
This gives Zoom a clear view of what changed, where, and by whom.
- Monitoring of key network devices
Zoom uses CimTrak to monitor switches, routers, and firewalls from vendors such as Palo Alto and Juniper, which are critical to its data center and cloud network operations.
- Reduced outages and bottlenecks
By catching unauthorized or unexpected changes early, Zoom can prevent misconfigurations from turning into outages, helping maintain productivity and business continuity.
- Built into standard builds and processes
CimTrak is now “baked into” Zoom’s image builds, so integrity monitoring is part of how systems are deployed and managed from day one, not an afterthought.
Zoom’s Head of Compliance notes that without CimTrak, a compromise could occur and remain undetected “until it’s too late.” With CimTrak, Zoom gains assurance that systems are operating in the state they are supposed to be in, and that remediation can happen in a timely, controlled way.
What platforms and environments does CimTrak help Zoom monitor?
Zoom uses CimTrak across a wide range of platforms and environments to support both its commercial services and Zoom for Government.
Key areas where CimTrak is deployed include:
- Servers and critical workstations
CimTrak for Servers monitors operating systems such as:
- Windows (XP through Windows 11, including Windows Server 2003–2022)
- Linux distributions (Alma, Amazon Linux, CentOS, Debian, Fedora, Oracle, Red Hat, Rocky, SUSE, Ubuntu, and others)
- UNIX variants (FreeBSD, Solaris, HP-UX, AIX)
- macOS
This coverage is important because Zoom operates data centers and services worldwide, both on-premises and in the cloud.
- Network devices
CimTrak for Network Devices monitors switches, routers, and firewalls from vendors such as:
- Arista, Aruba, Cisco, Check Point, Extreme, F5, Fortinet, HP
- Juniper, Palo Alto, Sophos, and others
These devices are core to Zoom’s data center and backbone network.
- Cloud and virtual environments
CimTrak supports major cloud and virtualization platforms, including:
- Amazon AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure
- Hypervisors such as Microsoft Hyper-V and VMware ESXi
- Container orchestration platforms like Kubernetes, Amazon EKS, Google GKE, Docker, and others
This allows Zoom to apply consistent integrity monitoring across traditional servers, virtual machines, and containerized workloads.
For Zoom for Government, file integrity monitoring is a requirement for FedRAMP authorization. CimTrak helps meet that requirement while also supporting Zoom’s broader commercial environment, where FIM is used as a security best practice and to support SOC 2 compliance.
Because CimTrak integrates with SIEM and ticketing tools (such as Splunk, IBM QRadar, ServiceNow, and others), Zoom can connect integrity monitoring data into its existing security and operations workflows, helping reimagine how change management and incident response are handled at scale.