Securing Your Collaboration: Eight Ways #Slack Leads in Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance

1. Robust Encryption Standards: Slack ensures all data, whether at rest or in transit, is safeguarded with high-grade encryption. Utilizing FIPS 140–2 compliant encryption standards, Slack encrypts data at rest, while traffic in transit is secured using the most advanced protocols like TLS 1.2, AES256 encryption, and SHA2 signatures. These measures protect sensitive communications from unauthorized access.
2. Network Segmentation and Server Hardening: To safeguard its production environment, Slack employs a segmented network architecture. Systems used for testing and development are kept separate from the production environment to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data. All servers in the production environment are hardened following CIS benchmarks, ensuring a consistent and secure configuration across Slack’s infrastructure.
3. Strict Administrative Access Controls: Slack maintains rigorous controls over administrative access to its systems. Multifactor authentication is required for all Slack employees accessing administrative functions, including those involving customer data. Privileged access is limited to authorized personnel only, logged for accountability, and reviewed quarterly to ensure compliance with security policies.
4. Comprehensive Monitoring and Alerting: Slack continuously monitors all its servers and workstations, maintaining a comprehensive view of the security posture of both its corporate and production environments. Logs are stored securely in a dedicated network accessible only by relevant security teams, ensuring any unusual activity is promptly detected and addressed.
5. Secure Endpoint Management: All devices issued to Slack personnel are configured to meet stringent security standards. This includes ensuring that devices are properly configured, regularly updated, and continuously monitored using Slack’s endpoint management solutions. These measures help protect against potential vulnerabilities and ensure a secure working environment.
6. Data Retention and Secure Disposal: Slack follows strict protocols for data retention and disposal, ensuring customer data is immediately deleted upon request or upon expiration of the retention period set by the customer administrator. Slack employs hard deletion processes for data in production systems and ensures backup data is destroyed within 14 days, further enhancing data security.
7. Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity: Slack is prepared for unforeseen events with a robust disaster recovery and business continuity plan. Production operations are distributed across four separate physical locations within a single geographic region, mitigating risks related to connectivity loss, power failures, or other location-specific issues, thereby ensuring continued service availability.
8. Independent Security Validation and Compliance Certifications: Slack’s commitment to security is validated through regular penetration tests conducted by independent entities, covering both application and infrastructure levels. Furthermore, Slack’s services are certified under leading security standards like ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type 2, GDPR, HIPAA, and more. For U.S. public sector organizations, Slack offers specialized GovSlack instances that meet stringent security requirements such as FedRAMP and DOD IL4.

By adhering to these rigorous security practices, Slack ensures a secure, compliant, and reliable platform for businesses across industries, helping them meet their governance, risk management, and compliance needs effectively.