Are Your Slack Conversations Really Private and Secure? (fastcompany.com)

An anonymous reader writes: "Chats that seem to be more ephemeral than email are still being recorded on a server somewhere," reports Fast Company, noting that Slack's Data Request Policy says the company will turn over data from customers when "it is compelled by law to do so or is subject to a valid and binding order of a governmental or regulatory body...or in cases of emergency to avoid death or physical harm to individuals." Slack will notify customers before disclosure "unless Slack is prohibited from doing so," or if the data is associated with "illegal conduct or risk of harm to people or property."

The article also warns that like HipChat and Campfire, Slack "is encrypted only at rest and in transit," though a Slack spokesperson says they "may evaluate" end-to-end encryption at some point in the future. Slack has no plans to offer local hosting of Slack data, but if employers pay for a Plus Plan, they're able to access private conversations.
Though Slack has 4 million users, the article points out that there's other alternatives like Semaphor and open source choices like Wickr and Mattermost. I'd be curious to hear what Slashdot readers are using at their own workplaces -- and how they feel about the privacy and security of Slack?

Comments

we have slack at work, and I don't understand why

[TheGratefulNet]

I am from the era where 'net news' (nntp) was popular.

for a few years, I was at SGI and they were HUGE into nntp. in fact, one of the most memorable ones was 'sgi.ba' and ba stood for 'bad attitude' (seriously). first day there, getting the HR orientation, they told us all about the usenet hier at work and how its GOOD to be aware of, and reading, sgi.ba. you'd hear about complaints but also the reasons behind them. HR was ok with that! those were the cool days in silicon valley, when it was still fun to live and work here, and companies were still pretty fun to work for.

anyway, I never understood what's wrong with usenet for internal threaded and persistent chats? you WANT it to stay around so you can find out the reasons for why this or that design was done. its part of the company history. but slack, unless you pay, fades away. how stupid! and yet, when I asked for nntp at work instead of slack, no one seemed to even KNOW what nntp was and to this day, they have no plans to implement it.

'chat' programs seem the most useless things; fully redundant to the MANY other forms of e-communication that we ALREADY have.

when usenet mostly 'ended' and web forums took over, I was sad. seems we continue to throw out old, free, WORKING tools for newfangled OH SHINEY! bullshit.

I don't get it. I really don't.