What can an AI agent do with
Search the whole workspace (user token)?
Lets the agent search messages and files across the workspace, acting as you. User token only. Slack calls this a legacy permission and suggests narrower search permissions instead.
How to spot it
On a Slack connection or settings screen, this is search:read.
With it, an agent can
- Search messages
- Search files
- Search messages and files together
It cannot, on its own
- Be given to a bot token
- Send, change, or delete anything
What a bad day looks like
A tricked agent searches for words like password or bank account and collects whatever matches across the workspace.
Set it up safer
- Ask for search:read.public, which only searches public channels
- Or grant only the specific search permissions it needs, such as search:read.files
Narrower permissions on Slack:
- Search public channels
search:read.public
Ask the company selling the agent
- Why do you need the legacy search permission instead of the narrower ones?
- What will the agent search for?
- Are search results stored?
Source
Checked against Slack documentation on 2026-09-28. All Slack permissions →
Thinking about a specific agent?
Tell us what it connects to, what it is allowed to do and who approves its work. You get a plain-language label of what it can touch and what to ask the seller. It takes a couple of minutes, and your answers stay in your browser unless you choose to post a test job.
Or have a person go through the AI apps on up to 3 of your business services with you and get a written report, for $249.
This page explains what a permission allows. It does not describe, test or rate any product. Permission details are summarized in our own words from the provider's documentation, linked on the page; providers change their documentation, so check the source before you rely on a detail.