Slack is upgrading the communication and collaboration app’s security features including Slack Connect, a new feature that the company says will allow for faster communication, stronger relationships and improved security.
Slack Connect, which the company calls “a more secure and productive way for organizations to communicate wit each other,” gives admins the ability to maintain control over their organizations data and monitor external access, the company said in a blog post.
The company cited a growing number of cybersecurity threats that aim to take advantage of the coronavirus pandemic.
Cybersecurity threats, including phishing scams and spam, are spiking as bad actors take advantage of the pandemic to target remote workforces and corporate systems. In April, Google reported more than 18 million daily malware and phishing emails related to Covid-19 scams in just one week and more than 240 million daily spam messages. Security-sensitive industries, such as banking and health care, have been hit especially hard. A report by VMware Carbon Black found that attacks targeting the financial sector grew by 238% from February to April 2020.
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Email is prone to spam and phishing attacks, but Slack Connect prevents that and allows messages and files from only verified members. Slack’s enterprise-grade security features and compliance standards – like retention, support for data loss prevention, e-discovery and soon, EKM – are all extended to Slack Connect.
According to the company, it is also introducing a feature later this year that will help admins quickly vet external organizations before connecting. Verified organizations will be identified with a badge so admins will know if an outside organization is credible.
The company in may also received FedRAMP Agency Authority to Operate, a U.S. public security standard.
“As more government agencies move to the cloud, IT administrators and security professionals can rest assured that Slack meets some of the most broadly recognized security standards and offers solutions to help public-sector teams address compliance requirements,” the company said in the blog.
Other new security features include more options for storing data in regions outside the U.S., information barriers to keep user groups separated and Enterprise Key Management.
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