Excerpt from CNBC Article, Published on Sep 20, 2024.
Disney is set to discontinue its use of Slack for internal communications following a significant data breach in July that exposed over a terabyte of company information. This hack involved sensitive data, including financial records, computer code, and details about unreleased projects. Although Disney informed investors that the breach would not materially impact its operations or financial performance, the company is taking steps to transition to new enterprise-wide collaboration tools. By the end of the next fiscal quarter, most of Disney’s business units will have moved away from Slack.
This decision was communicated in a memo from Disney Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston, indicating a shift towards a more secure communication platform. While Disney has declined to comment on the data leak directly, Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, which owns Slack, stated that while their security is robust, companies must take measures to prevent phishing attacks and other forms of social engineering. He emphasized the need for clients like Disney to bolster internal security protocols alongside Salesforce’s protective measures.
Despite discontinuing Slack, Disney continues to utilize other Salesforce products, such as those used for its Disney Store operations, sales and service platforms, and call centers. This move highlights Disney’s commitment to safeguarding its proprietary data while maintaining efficient business processes. The company is still reviewing its cybersecurity strategies to prevent future data leaks, signaling that it is taking the breach seriously as it strives to protect both its intellectual property and reputation.
