Data Protection

Effective Date: August 4, 2025

Last Updated: August 4, 2025

Version: 1.0

1. Our Commitment to Data Protection

At VerifiedMe, we understand that trust is the foundation of meaningful relationships. That's why we've implemented comprehensive data protection measures that exceed industry standards to safeguard your most sensitive personal information throughout our verification process.

Security-First Approach

We employ multiple layers of security controls, from encryption to access management, ensuring your personal information remains protected at every stage of collection, processing, and storage.

2. Technical Security Measures

2.1 Encryption Standards

Data in Transit

  • TLS 1.3 encryption for all data transmissions
  • Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS) for session security
  • Certificate pinning to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks
  • HSTS (HTTP Strict Transport Security) enforcement

Data at Rest

  • AES-256 encryption for all stored data
  • Encrypted database storage with field-level encryption
  • Hardware Security Modules (HSMs) for key management
  • Regular key rotation and lifecycle management

Application Security

  • End-to-end encryption for sensitive communications
  • Zero-knowledge architecture for password storage
  • Encrypted backups with separate key management
  • Secure deletion protocols for data removal

2.2 Infrastructure Security

Cloud Security

  • • SOC 2 Type II compliant cloud providers
  • • Multi-region data replication
  • • Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) isolation
  • • DDoS protection and mitigation

Network Security

  • • Web Application Firewall (WAF)
  • • Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS)
  • • Network segmentation and isolation
  • • Real-time threat monitoring

2.3 Application Security Controls

  • Secure Development: OWASP Top 10 compliance and secure coding practices
  • Input Validation: Comprehensive input sanitization and validation
  • SQL Injection Prevention: Parameterized queries and ORM security
  • XSS Protection: Content Security Policy (CSP) and output encoding
  • CSRF Protection: Anti-CSRF tokens and SameSite cookies

3. Organizational Security Measures

3.1 Access Controls

Employee Access Management

  • Principle of least privilege access
  • Role-based access controls (RBAC)
  • Multi-factor authentication (MFA) required
  • Regular access reviews and deprovisioning
  • Just-in-time (JIT) access for sensitive operations

Data Access Logging

  • Comprehensive audit logs for all data access
  • Real-time monitoring of sensitive data queries
  • Automated alerts for unusual access patterns
  • Immutable audit trail with tamper detection

3.2 Personnel Security

  • Background Checks: Comprehensive screening for all employees with data access
  • Security Training: Mandatory privacy and security training for all staff
  • Confidentiality Agreements: Binding NDAs for all personnel
  • Regular Updates: Ongoing security awareness and incident response training

3.3 Vendor Management

  • Due Diligence: Security assessments for all third-party providers
  • Data Processing Agreements: GDPR-compliant contracts with processors
  • Regular Audits: Ongoing monitoring of vendor security practices
  • Incident Coordination: Joint incident response procedures

4. Privacy by Design Principles

Data Minimization

We collect only the personal information necessary for our verification services and delete data when no longer needed.

Purpose Limitation

Personal information is used only for the specific purposes for which it was collected and consented to.

Privacy by Default

The most privacy-friendly settings are applied by default, giving users control over their information sharing.

Transparency

Clear, accessible information about our data practices with easy-to-understand privacy controls.

5. Data Breach Prevention and Response

5.1 Prevention Measures

  • 24/7 Monitoring: Continuous security monitoring and threat detection
  • Vulnerability Management: Regular security scans and penetration testing
  • Incident Prevention: Proactive threat hunting and anomaly detection
  • Security Updates: Timely patching and security updates

5.2 Incident Response Plan

1

Detection

Immediate identification and assessment

2

Containment

Isolate affected systems

3

Investigation

Forensic analysis and impact assessment

4

Recovery

Restore services and implement fixes

5.3 Notification Procedures

In the event of a data breach affecting personal information:

  • Regulatory Notification: Authorities notified within 72 hours (GDPR requirement)
  • User Notification: Affected users notified without undue delay
  • Public Disclosure: Transparent communication about the incident and response
  • Remediation Support: Assistance and resources for affected users

6. Compliance and Certifications

6.1 Regulatory Compliance

International Standards

  • • GDPR (European Union)
  • • CCPA/CPRA (California)
  • • PIPEDA (Canada)
  • • LGPD (Brazil)
  • • PDPA (Singapore)

Industry Standards

  • • ISO 27001:2013
  • • SOC 2 Type II
  • • PCI DSS Level 1
  • • NIST Cybersecurity Framework
  • • OWASP Top 10

6.2 Third-Party Audits

  • Annual Security Audits: Independent security assessments
  • Penetration Testing: Quarterly third-party penetration tests
  • Compliance Reviews: Regular privacy law compliance audits
  • Certification Maintenance: Ongoing compliance with industry standards

7. Data Processing Records

In compliance with GDPR Article 30, we maintain comprehensive records of our data processing activities:

  • Processing Purposes: Clear documentation of why data is collected
  • Data Categories: Detailed inventory of personal information types
  • Legal Basis: Justification for each processing activity
  • Retention Periods: Specific timeframes for data storage
  • Third-Party Transfers: Documentation of data sharing arrangements

8. Privacy Impact Assessments

We conduct Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs) for all high-risk processing activities:

  • New Feature Development: Privacy assessment before product releases
  • Third-Party Integrations: Risk evaluation for external services
  • Data Processing Changes: Impact analysis for process modifications
  • Regular Reviews: Annual assessment of existing processes

9. User Rights and Controls

9.1 Data Subject Rights

✓

Right to Access

Download your complete data profile

✓

Right to Rectification

Correct inaccurate information

✓

Right to Erasure

Request deletion of your data

✓

Right to Portability

Export data in standard formats

9.2 Privacy Controls

  • Granular Sharing: Control what verification information is shared
  • Visibility Settings: Manage who can see your verified status
  • Data Retention: Choose how long to keep verification records
  • Communication Preferences: Control how we contact you

10. Data Protection Officer (DPO)

Our Data Protection Officer oversees privacy compliance and serves as your point of contact for data protection matters:

Sarah Chen, CIPP/E, CIPM

Data Protection Officer

Email: contact@verifiedme.ai

Phone: +1-800-MATRI-DPO

Secure Portal: contact@verifiedme.ai

Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 AM - 5 PM PST
Response Time: Within 3 business days for all inquiries

11. Continuous Improvement

Data protection is an ongoing commitment. We continuously enhance our practices through:

  • Regular Reviews: Quarterly assessment of security measures
  • Technology Updates: Implementation of latest security technologies
  • Staff Training: Ongoing privacy and security education
  • User Feedback: Incorporating user suggestions for privacy improvements
  • Industry Collaboration: Participation in privacy and security forums

Questions About Data Protection?

We're committed to transparency about our data protection practices. If you have questions about how we safeguard your information or want to exercise your privacy rights, our privacy team is here to help.