What, until recently, was considered an alternative means of communication, has become a fundamental tool for communication in the workplace. Slack is currently one of the most recommended messaging platforms for teamwork. In the same workspace you can create multiple channels, that is, “groups” to organize each group of collaborators. However, we must have tools that contribute to the security and privacy of the different spaces.
One of the main features of Slack is the possibility of using plugins. This functionality allows us to expand the features of Slack quickly and easily, and adapt it to our needs. Remember that its use is oriented to the professional field, whether for large or small organizations or independent work groups. One of its central purposes is to replace email as a means of communication for many of the labor issues.
Slack is known for end-to-end encryption, including the data that is stored on its servers. Likewise, it complies with other high standards of security and privacy , in addition to complying with various regulations at both the governmental and private levels. However, from the moment we install the application on our devices, some vulnerable aspects begin to appear.
Slack: an ally for cyber attacks?
We have commented that it is possible to get multiple plugins through your Applications Directory . Virtually all of these applications are from third-party providers to Slack, so Slack has no control over the integrations in question. This means that if you install any tool or plug-in that could have a security hole, it could go through Slack and cause security and / or privacy problems.
This means that Slack can act as a bridge for multiple attacks, such as the spread of malware among all members of a workgroup or, according to the objective, to the administrators of the workgroup. The possibilities are many, and it is important to have tools and accessories that are oriented to the security and privacy of what happens in each space.
The best security plugins for Slack
There are several security plugins that you can choose and install. On this occasion, we recommend some so that you can have an overview of the possibilities that you can have thanks to these.
Security Advisor Bot
It is a platform dedicated to guiding and educating users who are part of one or more working groups. Therefore, it has the ability to detect suspicious activity that has to do with sharing inappropriate or sensitive data. Added to this is the fact that it offers user-friendly and interactive advice on the main good habits for the safe use of Slack.
According to the policies that you create and configure, the Security Advisor bot will fulfill its functions. It is even possible to take its use further thanks to the possibility of adopting said bot as the person in charge of carrying out the task of adding new members to the workspace. The latter, with the aim of sharing the best and safest practices. Therefore, it is possible to have a detailed report of the security events registered and the pattern of user behavior.
If so, you can configure notifications for events that are considered relevant. An example might be that a user is sharing content that does not conform to the created policies.
Access the download and installation of the bot through this link .
Metashield Bot
It is a robot that is responsible for scanning and analyzing the files that are shared, including the metadata . What we can highlight is that at the same time that anomalies are detected in the files and metadata, they are eliminated. Also, the bot has the ability to perform reviews on everything that is about to be shared in the groups in search of sensitive data that could be shared by accident or by mistake.
Access the download and installation of the bot through this link .
Moderate Content
It fulfills a simple but very important function in favor of the good use of the work groups. It scans all images that are shared for the purpose of detecting images with inappropriate content (for example, violent in nature) or with some characteristic that is not in accordance with the organization’s policies.
However, one point to know is that this application also allows users to see inappropriate but pixelated images and with a significant delay to make them visible, informing about the reason. Anyway, this will be a good ally to have control over what is shared. It is especially useful when creating channels or groups that deal with miscellaneous or simply, non-labor issues where more cases of inappropriate content could be presented. Access the download and installation of the plugin through this link .
MetaCert Security
This is an add-on aimed at scanning shared links in groups , regardless of whether they are private or not. The purpose of this is to make a comparison of the scanned URL with the information present in your huge database. In this way, it manages to identify those links that could represent a security threat.
The MetaCert database has a great reputation, so you can be more than confident. At the same time, it is possible to have a panel that provides complete reports about all the activity of the shared links. This is very useful especially when certain regulations have to be complied with or supported by audits.
Access the download and installation of the tool through this link .
Do I need to install all these security plugins?
It is necessary to know if it is really worth implementing all these add-ons, or only those considered necessary. It is good to note that excessive and unnecessary control can affect the experience of those in different groups and channels. Even more so if the workgroups are small or if Slack is not used as a means of communication.
Likewise, it must be remembered that a good part of the tools and accessories that we can add to our workspaces in Slack come from external organizations. This means that you have to be registered with the provider organization in question in order to take advantage. However, the recommendations cited come from companies with a very good reputation.
However, in turn, several of the provider organizations give you the possibility to try their services for free, even without committing to enter credit card information. So, from there, as head of the workspaces, you can analyze whether it is worth making the investment for this or that tool.