Webex outlook integration using wrong calandar

[AndrewSims24185]

Webex is automatically picking up one of the calendars in outlook, which I cannot disable.

If I have to have webex connecting to outlook how can I specify which calandar it shows/uses?

Within outlook I have 5 different calandars, depending on what organisation they link to and how I and using them.

This is webex meetings desktop application 39.10.5.12 on Windows 10 64 latest release.

[AndrewSims24185]

Seems like this is a webex "Feature" looking at the limitations on the desktop application

"

The desktop app can only read the meeting list when Microsoft Outlook is installed and logged in. Mac users must configure their Outlook account email address and password the first time they use the application.

• For Windows 7 and Outlook 2016 users, the desktop app may not be able to scrape the meeting list from the Outlook calendar because Windows 7 doesn’t have some library files that Outlook 2016 needs. See the Microsoft website to download the Visual C++ Redistributable Packages. Windows 7 and Outlook 2013 don’t have this issue.

Confirms that the webex application is scraping an outlook calendar by default, and that for Windows users you do not need to provide credentials ( give permission etc) for this to happen.

[AndrewSims24185]

If there is no way within the current webex application to stop it accessing a private calendar, how do I go about raising a critical privacy breach alert for this application as it is accessing and displaying information that it has not been explicitly given permission to read, and it displaying it with the desktop application without any user login or verification.

[AndrewSims24185]

Looking at other posts this is a serious issue.

I did not give this application permission to connect to Outlook

I did not give this application permission to impersonate me when it access Outlook.

I have not provided any credentials to allow this application to connect to outlook.

Windows privacy settings explicitly show that NO application has access to my calendar.

This application is accessing information that is personal to me, against my express wishes configured in the Windows privacy settings.

Is this  a GDPR / Data Protection issue??

What other information is this application also accessing without my permission and what is it doing with it?

[Mike_Brezicky]

I do not see any Privacy issues from the application. Every piece of functionality is documented and accepted when you install and accept the EULA. GDPR responsibility is on the Admin and End user as well.

Every one of my installs has the option to select Microsoft Outlook or Webex meeting under calendar. I suggest you look at how the install package and your webex accounts are setup. You can also install with a switch to disable outlook / uninstall Productivity Tools, etc.

[AndrewSims24185]

Just installed another three times and at no point does it give me the option NOT to link webex to outlook - in fact it does not ask anuthing at all, it just goes ahead and installs itself without asking me anything, and then links itself to my outlook instance and picks an account.

There is no where within the installation process where I can choose anything meaninful.

I don't have a webex account either - I am prompted every time I get an invite to a meeting held on webex to install the desktop application, which I have done as there seems to be fewer and fewer browsers where the web meeting still works..

[Mike_Brezicky]

Are you installing a pre built package or download direct from a Webex site?
I checked multiple different installations I have done and the radio button for Outlook / Webex Meetings is there.
You can try to download and use the latest release from cisco beta site - https://beta.webex.com/webappng/sites/beta/dashboard/download

The chrome web version is fairly stable, so next time you join a webex, try using the WebRTC chrome version instead of the desktop app.

Also, Look over the deployment guide, there are a number of silent switches to manipulate the install.
https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/td/docs/collaboration/webex_centers/esp/cisco_webex_meetings_it_administrator_mass_deployment_guide.pdf

[AndrewSims24185]

I had high hopes that the beta.webex link would be the answer, as it states that email client integration is no longer defaulted, but still the same issue.

I think the Webex application has problem when you login as a guest. It assumes that you still want to setup/prepare/schedule meetings and automatically tries to indentify where to put them.

As I do not have a webex account it does not give the option to ignore outlook.

The command line switches allow outlook "integration" to be controlled, but not to disable/block linking webex to a suitable calendar application.

[JasonHill3732]

I just had the same issue and fixed by setting the correct Data File to be Default in Account Settings...for some reason it was not set to the same as the Default Email address...HTH!

[Mike_Brezicky]

Open the Preferences for the Webex Meeting app and go to the Calendar settings. Change the option from Microsoft Outlook to Webex Meetings. Then it will only display meetings scheduled via webex.

[AndrewSims24185]

When I open up preferences and go to Calendar there is no other option than Microsoft Outlook which is preselected.

I cannot unselect outlook and there are no other options available