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Channel Defaults: Security

Updated

How to Configure Default Channel Security Settings

1. What This Feature Does

Security Settings allow administrators to define baseline security controls for all newly created channels.

These settings help protect sensitive information by enforcing rules around:

  • Whether external users can access channels without restrictions (Open Access)
  • Whether passwords are required for external contacts
  • Whether two-factor authentication (2FA) is required for external contacts
  • Whether security changes should be applied to existing channels (retroactively)

By configuring these defaults, you can ensure consistent security practices across your organization while still allowing flexibility where appropriate.


2. Who Can Use It

  • Admin users can configure Security Settings

Plan-Based Behavior

For Non-Enterprise Plans

  • Settings apply across the entire subscription
  • When enabled, they are enforced for all users and all new channels
  • Where available, “Allow Channel Owners and Managers to…” determines whether users can override defaults at the channel level

For Enterprise Plans

  • Settings act as feature controls (similar to admin configuration)

When a setting is:

  • Enabled → The option becomes available to assign in Manage Roles
  • Disabled → The option is not available anywhere in the system

Important:

  • A setting must be enabled here before it can be assigned to a role
  • For full control, settings should be managed through custom roles

For more granular control, we recommend managing these settings through custom roles in the Manage Roles page.

3. Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Navigate to Channel Defaults
  2. Select Security
  3. Configure the following options:

A. Open Access

Controls how open access channels are secured.

  • Require mandatory password for newly created open access channels
    • Ensures all open access channels are protected with a password by default
  • Allow Channel Owners and Managers to enable or disable open access
    • Allows users with appropriate permissions to control open access at the channel level


B. Enforce Passwords – External Contacts

Controls whether external contacts are required to use passwords.

  • Allow Channel Owners and Managers to enforce passwords for external contacts
    • Gives users the ability to require password protection for external participants


Enforce Passwords toggle

C. Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) – External Contacts

Controls 2FA requirements for external users.

  • Require 2FA by default for external contacts in newly created channels
    • Automatically enforces 2FA for external users
  • Allow Channel Owners and Managers to enable or disable channel two-factor authentication
    • Allows users to control 2FA settings at the channel level


2FA settings showing both toggles

D. External User Privacy Settings

Controls visibility of activity and access logs for external users.

  • Restrict access logs and exports for external users by default
    • Hides activity logs and disables export capabilities for external users
  • Allow Channel Owners and Managers to restrict access logs and exports for external users
    • Allows users to manage this setting per channel


External User Privacy Settings toggles

E. Apply Changes to Existing Channels (Retroactive Application)

When changing security settings, a confirmation popup will appear with the option to apply changes to existing channels.

  • Select “Apply to all existing channels” to enforce the updated setting across current channels
  • Leave unchecked to apply changes only to newly created channels

Changes are saved automatically when toggles are enabled or disabled.

4. What Happens After

For Non-Enterprise Plans

  • Settings are applied across the entire subscription
  • Users follow the defined defaults, with limited ability to override (if allowed)

For Enterprise Plans

  • These settings act as feature availability controls

When enabled:

  • The option becomes available in Manage Roles

When disabled:

  • The option is not available anywhere in the system

Important Behavior

  • If user control is disabled:
    • Channel Owners and Managers cannot modify the setting
  • If user control is enabled:
    • Users can adjust settings at the channel level based on their role permissions
  • If retroactive application is selected:
    • Existing channels are updated to match the new security setting
  • If retroactive application is not selected:
    • Existing channels remain unchanged

5. Best Practice for Enterprise

To maintain strong security while supporting flexibility:

Enable required security features in Channel Defaults
Then assign permissions using custom roles in Manage Roles

This ensures:

  • Consistent baseline protection
  • Controlled flexibility for different user groups
  • Alignment with client and compliance requirements

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