5 important features to look for in cybersecurity collaboration applications

The right collaboration tools help your team stay secure. Here are 5 critical cybersecurity collaboration software features to consider as you evaluate solutions.

In today’s digital landscape, organizations need the right cybersecurity applications to address evolving cyber threats effectively. 

To keep security teams aligned and streamline mission-critical workflows, one of the most important cybersecurity applications organizations need is a secure and efficient cybersecurity collaboration platform that enables seamless communication, information sharing, and coordinated incident response. 

Mattermost, an open source messaging platform, proves to be an invaluable cybersecurity application when time is of the essence. Keep reading to learn some of the top reasons why Mattermost is an ideal solution for teams looking to enhance their cybersecurity readiness.

1. Secure and private real-time communication

Cybersecurity incidents often require swift decision-making and coordinated actions. Mattermost’s real-time collaboration capabilities facilitate rapid communication and decision-making among team members, enabling teams to respond to incidents rapidly. 

Whether it’s sharing threat intelligence, discussing incident response strategies, or coordinating mitigation efforts, Mattermost ensures that teams can collaborate seamlessly — even in high-pressure situations. Real-time collaboration reduces response times, minimizes the impact of security incidents, and helps organizations stay one step ahead of cyber threats.

Of course, when it comes to sharing sensitive information related to cybersecurity, data privacy and security matter most. Mattermost prioritizes security by delivering secure communication channels, with support for both encryption-in-transit and encryption-at-rest. The platform ensures that conversations and shared files are protected from unauthorized access or interception. This level of security instills confidence among team members, facilitating open discussions and information sharing without compromising privacy. 

Since the platform is self-hosted, it can live in your own data center behind your firewall, providing an additional layer of security.

2. Centralized communication and collaboration

Mattermost provides a centralized platform for cybersecurity response, bringing together teams, departments, and external stakeholders in a single workspace. This centralized approach streamlines communication, reducing the reliance on scattered channels such as emails, video calls, and text messaging. With all conversations, files, and relevant information accessible in one place, collaboration becomes easier, leading to faster response times and improved incident resolution.

With Mattermost, teams can create dedicated spaces for specific projects, topics, and incident response activities. For example, a security team might create a dedicated Cybersecurity channel where security stakeholders can come together and easily access and contribute to discussions. This fosters transparency and information sharing while enabling teams to track conversations and decisions over time.

At the same time, Mattermost facilitates effective cross-functional collaboration among cybersecurity stakeholders, with members from IT, security, legal, engineering, and management teams working together openly in channels that are accessible across devices. As such, teams can share information, ask questions, and seek assistance from experts across different domains. This collaboration helps create a holistic approach to cybersecurity, leveraging the expertise and perspectives of diverse stakeholders to address complex challenges effectively.

3. Integration with security tools and services

As an open source solution, Mattermost is endlessly customizable. It integrates seamlessly with a wide range of security tools and services — including PagerDuty, Opsgenie, ServiceNow, and Splunk — augmenting its capabilities for cybersecurity response. 

Organizations can tailor Mattermost to their specific cybersecurity needs by integrating custom-built plugins, developing chatbots, or connecting the platform with external applications and services. This flexibility enables organizations to create a bespoke collaboration environment that aligns with their unique requirements, workflows, and security needs.

With complete access to source code, teams can connect Mattermost with the cybersecurity tools they rely on the most, including threat intelligence platforms, vulnerability scanners, and security incident and event management (SIEM) systems. As a result, teams benefit from real-time information sharing and automated notifications. These capabilities enhance situational awareness, enabling teams to detect and respond to security incidents promptly — all without leaving the Mattermost interface.

4. Robust notifications and alerts

When a cybersecurity incident strikes, time is of the essence. Mattermost excels at providing robust notification and alert mechanisms, ensuring that relevant team members are promptly informed about critical incidents or updates. 

Whether through real-time notifications, email alerts, or SMS notifications, Mattermost ensures that cybersecurity teams stay informed and can respond rapidly to emerging threats. As a result, everyone on the team stays in the loop, which helps maintain an agile and proactive approach to cybersecurity.

5. Granular access controls and permissions

Not all cybersecurity information should be accessible to every team member. With Mattermost, you can ensure that only authorized individuals are able to access your most sensitive data.

Mattermost offers robust access control and permissions, allowing organizations to define user roles, restrict access to sensitive channels, and control who can participate in specific discussions. This granular control ensures that sensitive information is only shared with individuals who need to know, reducing the risk of data leakage and insider threats. 

This functionality is particularly important when collaborating with external stakeholders, such as third-party vendors or incident response teams.

To learn more about why today’s strongest security teams choose Mattermost for cybersecurity, try Mattermost for free for 30 days.