What happened in the Slack data breach?
Twingate Team
•
May 24, 2024
In February 2015, Slack experienced a data breach involving unauthorized access to their central database. The breach exposed sensitive information, including usernames, email addresses, and encrypted passwords. Despite the severity of the incident, the company did not disclose the specific number of users affected or the exact method used by the hackers to gain access.
How many accounts were compromised?
The breach impacted data related to approximately 500,000 users.
What data was leaked?
The data exposed in the breach included email addresses, usernames, and encrypted passwords, without revealing the specific number of affected users or the hackers' method of access.
How was Slack hacked?
In February 2015, hackers accessed Slack's central database for up to four days, obtaining usernames, email addresses, and encrypted passwords. The perpetrators infiltrated the system by stealing and misusing a limited number of Slack employee tokens, which allowed them to gain unauthorized access to Slack's externally hosted GitHub repository. The breach was not a result of a vulnerability inherent to Slack, but rather a compromise of a third-party vendor.
Slack's solution
In the aftermath of the hacking incident, Slack took several steps to bolster its security and prevent future breaches. These measures included increasing alerting to monitor their externally hosted GitHub repository and collaborating with vendors and security partners to ensure the safe and secure storage of tokens used to access Slack repositories. Additionally, the stolen tokens were promptly invalidated, and the investigation revealed no impact on Slack's code or services. While there was no direct customer impact, the event served as a reminder of the importance of robust security measures in protecting sensitive information.
How do I know if I was affected?
Following the breach, Slack reached out to users believed to be affected. If you were a Slack user during the time of the incident and did not receive a notification, you can visit Have I Been Pwned to check if your credentials were compromised.
What should affected users do?
In general, affected users should:
Change Your Password: Immediately update your password for the breached platform. Make sure the new password is strong and unique, not previously used on any other platform.
Reset Passwords for Other Accounts: If you've used the same or similar passwords for other online accounts, reset those as well. This is crucial as attackers often try using stolen passwords on multiple sites.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Activate 2FA on the affected account. Consider enabling this additional security feature on all other important online accounts to significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access.
Monitor Your Accounts: Keep an eye on your accounts for any suspicious activity and report any unauthorized access or transactions immediately.
For more specific help and instructions related to Slack's data breach, please contact Slack support directly.
Where can I go to learn more?
If you want to find more information on the Slack data breach, check out the following news articles:
Rapidly implement a modern Zero Trust network that is more secure and maintainable than VPNs.
What happened in the Slack data breach?
Twingate Team
•
May 24, 2024
In February 2015, Slack experienced a data breach involving unauthorized access to their central database. The breach exposed sensitive information, including usernames, email addresses, and encrypted passwords. Despite the severity of the incident, the company did not disclose the specific number of users affected or the exact method used by the hackers to gain access.
How many accounts were compromised?
The breach impacted data related to approximately 500,000 users.
What data was leaked?
The data exposed in the breach included email addresses, usernames, and encrypted passwords, without revealing the specific number of affected users or the hackers' method of access.
How was Slack hacked?
In February 2015, hackers accessed Slack's central database for up to four days, obtaining usernames, email addresses, and encrypted passwords. The perpetrators infiltrated the system by stealing and misusing a limited number of Slack employee tokens, which allowed them to gain unauthorized access to Slack's externally hosted GitHub repository. The breach was not a result of a vulnerability inherent to Slack, but rather a compromise of a third-party vendor.
Slack's solution
In the aftermath of the hacking incident, Slack took several steps to bolster its security and prevent future breaches. These measures included increasing alerting to monitor their externally hosted GitHub repository and collaborating with vendors and security partners to ensure the safe and secure storage of tokens used to access Slack repositories. Additionally, the stolen tokens were promptly invalidated, and the investigation revealed no impact on Slack's code or services. While there was no direct customer impact, the event served as a reminder of the importance of robust security measures in protecting sensitive information.
How do I know if I was affected?
Following the breach, Slack reached out to users believed to be affected. If you were a Slack user during the time of the incident and did not receive a notification, you can visit Have I Been Pwned to check if your credentials were compromised.
What should affected users do?
In general, affected users should:
Change Your Password: Immediately update your password for the breached platform. Make sure the new password is strong and unique, not previously used on any other platform.
Reset Passwords for Other Accounts: If you've used the same or similar passwords for other online accounts, reset those as well. This is crucial as attackers often try using stolen passwords on multiple sites.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Activate 2FA on the affected account. Consider enabling this additional security feature on all other important online accounts to significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access.
Monitor Your Accounts: Keep an eye on your accounts for any suspicious activity and report any unauthorized access or transactions immediately.
For more specific help and instructions related to Slack's data breach, please contact Slack support directly.
Where can I go to learn more?
If you want to find more information on the Slack data breach, check out the following news articles:
Rapidly implement a modern Zero Trust network that is more secure and maintainable than VPNs.
What happened in the Slack data breach?
Twingate Team
•
May 24, 2024
In February 2015, Slack experienced a data breach involving unauthorized access to their central database. The breach exposed sensitive information, including usernames, email addresses, and encrypted passwords. Despite the severity of the incident, the company did not disclose the specific number of users affected or the exact method used by the hackers to gain access.
How many accounts were compromised?
The breach impacted data related to approximately 500,000 users.
What data was leaked?
The data exposed in the breach included email addresses, usernames, and encrypted passwords, without revealing the specific number of affected users or the hackers' method of access.
How was Slack hacked?
In February 2015, hackers accessed Slack's central database for up to four days, obtaining usernames, email addresses, and encrypted passwords. The perpetrators infiltrated the system by stealing and misusing a limited number of Slack employee tokens, which allowed them to gain unauthorized access to Slack's externally hosted GitHub repository. The breach was not a result of a vulnerability inherent to Slack, but rather a compromise of a third-party vendor.
Slack's solution
In the aftermath of the hacking incident, Slack took several steps to bolster its security and prevent future breaches. These measures included increasing alerting to monitor their externally hosted GitHub repository and collaborating with vendors and security partners to ensure the safe and secure storage of tokens used to access Slack repositories. Additionally, the stolen tokens were promptly invalidated, and the investigation revealed no impact on Slack's code or services. While there was no direct customer impact, the event served as a reminder of the importance of robust security measures in protecting sensitive information.
How do I know if I was affected?
Following the breach, Slack reached out to users believed to be affected. If you were a Slack user during the time of the incident and did not receive a notification, you can visit Have I Been Pwned to check if your credentials were compromised.
What should affected users do?
In general, affected users should:
Change Your Password: Immediately update your password for the breached platform. Make sure the new password is strong and unique, not previously used on any other platform.
Reset Passwords for Other Accounts: If you've used the same or similar passwords for other online accounts, reset those as well. This is crucial as attackers often try using stolen passwords on multiple sites.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Activate 2FA on the affected account. Consider enabling this additional security feature on all other important online accounts to significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access.
Monitor Your Accounts: Keep an eye on your accounts for any suspicious activity and report any unauthorized access or transactions immediately.
For more specific help and instructions related to Slack's data breach, please contact Slack support directly.
Where can I go to learn more?
If you want to find more information on the Slack data breach, check out the following news articles:
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