GitHub ‘not safe to use’ says Microsoft, who paid $7.5bn for it

Microsoft is discouraging its employees from using GitHub – the platform it bought last year for $7.5 billion.

The software development tool is on a blacklist circulated by Microsoft internally, consisting of platforms that the company says pose a security risk.

Also on the list is Slack, the popular workplace messaging tool that made its stock market debut last week.

Slack is completely banned by Microsoft for internal use, while GitHub is “discouraged”.

Also on the latter list are Amazon Web Services and Google Docs, while other tools completely prohibited include Grammarly and Kaspersky security software.

Microsoft says the banned tools pose a security risk great enough that they threaten company secrets.

In the memo, seen by GeekWire, Microsoft said of Slack: “Slack Free, Slack Standard and Slack Plus versions do not provide required controls to properly protect Microsoft Intellectual Property (IP). Existing users of these solutions should migrate chat history and files related to Microsoft business to Microsoft Teams, which offers the same features and integrated Office 365 apps, calling and meeting functionality.

“Slack Enterprise Grid version complies with Microsoft security requirements; however, we encourage use of Microsoft Teams rather than a competitive software.”