Key points 

• Remote work has increased reliance on Slack and Microsoft Teams as essential tools for business communication, making security in these platforms more important than ever.
• While both Slack and Teams offer robust security features, each platform comes with its own set of challenges that organisations need to navigate.
• Understanding the specific security risks and benefits of Slack and Teams is essential for IT and security teams focused on protecting sensitive business data.
• Metomic provides advanced tools that enhance data security and compliance within Slack and Teams, offering organisations better control over their data.

Secure communication platforms are a necessity for businesses today. As organisations have increasingly moved to remote and hybrid working models, tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams have become core to daily operations. 

Not only do these platforms streamline communication, they also enable quick file sharing and collaboration across dispersed teams.

However, with this rise in remote digital collaboration comes heightened security risks. Cybersecurity challenges have grown in step with the popularity of Slack and Teams, putting sensitive business data at potential risk. For IT and security professionals, understanding how each platform protects data is key to choosing the right fit for their organisation.

This article explores the security features of both Slack and Microsoft Teams, highlighting the strengths and vulnerabilities of each. We’ll also examine how Metomic’s tools can support your business in securing data across both platforms, offering advanced controls for a safer digital workplace.

What are the security features in Slack? 

With nearly 80% of Fortune 500 companies using Slack, it’s clear that this platform has carved out a strong presence in the business world—but, popularity doesn’t guarantee that data in Slack is safe and secure.

However, Slack offers several security features designed to protect sensitive information and ensure only authorised access.

• Encryption: Slack uses encryption for data both in transit and at rest, protecting messages and files while they move through the network and when they’re stored.
• Permissions management: Admins can control who accesses specific channels, who can use mentions, and which users can archive messages or invite new members. These options help keep sensitive information restricted to the right people.
• Multi-factor authentication (MFA): Slack supports MFA, adding a second layer of security to help prevent unauthorised access. For companies on the Plus plan, Slack can also integrate with single sign-on (SSO) solutions, allowing users to access Slack through their existing identity management systems.
• Control over third-party access: Admins can tightly manage external users and integrations by limiting access to approved team members only. This helps reduce potential risks from unapproved external collaboration.

These features make Slack a solid choice for secure, flexible collaboration, though some companies may seek additional safeguards depending on their specific needs.

What are the security features in Teams?

Microsoft Teams has become a top choice for organisations with strict compliance needs, especially in areas like healthcare, where its monthly usage grew by a massive 560% between March 2020 and November 2021. This popularity is largely due to Teams' comprehensive security and compliance features.

Here’s a quick look at the key security features in Microsoft Teams:

• Regulatory compliance: Teams, as part of Office 365, can be configured to meet major regulatory standards like HIPAA, SOC 2, and GDPR. This makes it a solid option for industries that need to keep a close eye on data protection, from healthcare to finance.
• Data access control: Teams gives admins control over who can access what, down to specific users and channels. This level of control helps limit access to sensitive information and keeps data secure within designated groups.
• Data loss prevention (DLP): With DLP capabilities via Microsoft Purview, Teams lets organisations create policies that can automatically prevent the sharing of sensitive information. Plus, reporting tools make it easy for admins to track and review activity, so it’s easier to spot and respond to potential risks.
• Microsoft 365 integration: Teams works seamlessly with other Microsoft 365 applications like SharePoint and OneDrive, providing an added layer of protection. This way, data security extends beyond Teams, covering files shared and stored across Microsoft’s suite of tools.

Teams’ security setup makes it a strong choice for organisations needing reliable, layered protection to meet their compliance and data security needs.

What are the security risks involved with both?

Slack and Teams are essential for keeping teams connected, but they also come with some notable security risks. 

One big concern is data leakage; with so much information shared daily, there’s a real risk of sensitive data being exposed, whether by accident or oversight. 

Research shows that 37% of messages contain at least one piece of personally identifiable information (PII), and 1 in 17 messages includes three or more pieces. That can range from names and dates to more sensitive info like driver’s licence or bank account numbers.

Here’s a closer look at the risks:

• Sensitive data leakage: Without built-in DLP, both platforms are at risk of accidental data sharing, which can easily happen in busy conversations.
• Third-party app integrations: With the option to add third-party apps, Slack and Teams users may unknowingly introduce security gaps if these apps aren’t properly vetted.
• External collaboration risks: Allowing guest users or external collaborators is often necessary, but it also makes it harder to control who sees what, increasing the chance of unauthorised access.

These risks mean it’s essential to think carefully about how your organisation can add an extra layer of security to keep data safe.

What can cause security breaches in both?

Despite solid security features, there are still a few common risks with Slack and Teams that can lead to security breaches.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Phishing attacks: Phishing is a big concern on any messaging platform, and both Slack and Teams are no exception. Attackers can send misleading links or messages that look legitimate, tricking employees into giving up credentials or access.
• Weak passwords and no MFA: Accounts can be compromised if users rely on weak passwords or if multi-factor authentication (MFA) isn’t in place. Without MFA, even a simple password leak can put your data at risk.
• File sharing and access controls: Both platforms allow extensive file sharing, which is useful but risky. Without strict access controls, sensitive data can be accessed by people who shouldn’t have it, especially if external sharing isn’t carefully managed.
• Remote work and oversight challenges: Working remotely means employees are often logging in from various locations. This flexibility is great but makes it harder to monitor for unusual access or potential misconfigurations.

With 25% of data breaches happening in public cloud environments, it’s a reminder that cloud-based platforms need just as much attention and care as on-premises systems to stay secure.

Which is better for protecting data? 

Here’s how Slack and Microsoft Teams compare when it comes to protecting your data:

• Encryption protocols: Both platforms encrypt data in transit and at rest, ensuring a solid foundation of security. Slack controls its own encryption keys, which might limit organisations that need direct data management. However, Slack Enterprise Key Management (EKM) offers added control, allowing organisations on the Enterprise Grid (and GovSlack) plans to manage their own encryption keys. In contrast, Teams benefits from Microsoft 365’s extensive security infrastructure, adding extra layers of encryption.
• Access control: Both Slack and Teams offer MFA and single sign-on (SSO) options. Teams provides more flexibility with user-specific restrictions and channel-based permissions, giving IT admins greater control. Slack, while secure, has slightly more limited access control options, with customisation features primarily available in its Plus plan.
• Compliance support: Teams can be configured to meet a wide range of regulatory standards, including HIPAA, SOC 2, and GDPR, making it especially popular in compliance-heavy industries like healthcare and finance. Slack is compliant with SOC 2 and ISO 27001 but doesn’t meet as many industry-specific standards, which may be a consideration for organisations in regulated sectors.

Below is a comparison of Slack and Teams data protection features:

How can Metomic help? 

Metomic is designed to work seamlessly with Slack and Microsoft Teams, giving organisations more control over sensitive data and boosting security across both platforms. 

Here’s how Metomic makes a difference:

• Sensitive data scanning: Metomic continuously scans messages and attachments, flagging any sensitive data—like personal identifiers or financial information— as it’s shared. This helps you respond quickly and keep data protected.
• Data classification: By automatically tagging data with context-aware labels, Metomic makes it easy for teams to track, manage, and protect sensitive information without the guesswork.
• Data loss prevention (DLP) alerts: Metomic keeps a close eye on sensitive data sharing, alerting admins as soon as restricted data is shared. Plus, it notifies users about sensitive information they’ve shared, helping promote safer data habits.
• Compliance support: Metomic helps with regulatory needs like GDPR and HIPAA, automating data discovery and tagging to make sure sensitive information is managed correctly. Customisable alerts and permissions make it easy to set up data handling policies that fit your organisation.

Metomic’s flexible, automated tools simplify data security in Slack and Teams, helping you keep your team connected without compromising on security.

Getting started with Metomic

Getting started with Metomic is easy and can significantly strengthen your security in Slack and Microsoft Teams.

Here’s how you can begin:

• Free security assessment: Start with a complimentary risk assessment to identify any potential vulnerabilities in your organisation’s Slack and Teams data. Metomic helps you uncover risks across both platforms and provides insights into how your data is managed.
• Schedule a personalised demo: Interested in seeing Metomic’s capabilities in action? Book a personalised demo with our security experts to learn how Metomic’s tools for data classification, scanning, and alerts can enhance your organisation's security approach.
• Contact us: Have questions or need more information? Reach out to our team to discuss your organisation’s unique data protection needs and how Metomic can help secure your Slack and Teams environments.