Analyze authorized Slack data exports to review message content, conversation history, participants, timestamps, file links, and related metadata from Slack conversations. Slack data exports provide investigators with a structured record of communications across supported conversation types, which may include public channels, private channels, and direct messages depending on the organization’s Slack plan, export permissions, retention settings, and approved export scope. Slack states that Business+ and Enterprise export options can include messages and file links from public channels, private channels, and direct messages, subject to the applicable export process.

Investigators can use Slack export files to identify conversations involving a subject, reconstruct communication timelines, assess message context, and correlate communications between parties. Slack explains that exports include reference files such as users.json, channels.json, groups.json, and dms.json; investigators can use these files to identify user IDs, locate conversations containing relevant parties, and then review the corresponding conversation folder containing date-based JSON message files.

Relevant artifacts include the original Slack export ZIP file, users.json, channels.json, groups.json, dms.json, conversation folders, date-based JSON message files, user IDs, conversation IDs, message timestamps, thread timestamps, message text, file links, and edit or deletion indicators where retained in the export. Investigators should preserve the original export, collection scope, export date range, workspace identifier, relevant user IDs, conversation IDs, and review notes to maintain evidential integrity.

Message availability should be validated before investigative conclusions are drawn. Slack retention settings can apply to public channels, private channels, and direct messages, meaning exported content may be limited by the organization’s configured retention policy and the scope of data available at the time of export.

Sections

ID	Name	Description
AF030.001	Deletion of Corporate Communication Messages	The subject deletes messages from organization-managed communication platforms such as enterprise collaboration tools, internal messaging systems, or other corporate communication environments. These platforms commonly contain operational discussions, requests for information, coordination between staff, or exchanges relating to sensitive work activities. Deleting messages from these systems may remove evidence of policy violations, improper instructions, or coordination with other individuals. In many enterprise platforms, message deletion events generate administrative audit artifacts. While the message content may no longer be visible to users, deletion activity can often still be identified through platform audit logs, retention systems, or administrative investigation tools.

References