Data & Security FAQs
Is my data secure?
Yes! Enterprise-grade security:
Encryption:
Data at rest: AES-256 encryption
Data in transit: TLS 1.3 (minimum TLS 1.2)
Database: Encrypted MongoDB
Backups: Encrypted S3 storage
File uploads: Encrypted (ENTERPRISE)
Infrastructure:
Hetzner hosting (Germany, EU region)
Self-hosted MongoDB (Docker container)
CDN: Vercel (global, EU edge nodes)
Firewall protection
Regular security audits
Penetration testing (annual)
Access control:
Strong password requirements
Two-factor authentication (2FA) — backup codes stored as bcrypt hashes
Team invitation tokens: SHA-256 hashed before storage
Audit log user agents: captured only for security/auth events (GDPR data minimisation)
Admin access logs: operator email stored as SHA-256 hash only
Billing PII (contact name, email, phone, VAT/tax numbers) excluded from general queries (database-level select: false — only returned when explicitly requested by billing endpoints)
SSO/SAML (ENTERPRISE) (Coming Soon)
IP allowlisting (ENTERPRISE)
Session management
Automatic logout (configurable)
More details: Security Settings →
Where is my data stored?
Data centers:
Primary region: Europe (Germany)
Why Europe?
GDPR compliance
EU data residency (Hetzner)
Low latency for European users
Privacy-friendly jurisdiction
Infrastructure:
• Hosting: Hetzner Online GmbH (Germany) • Database: Self-hosted MongoDB (EU) • CDN: Vercel (global with EU edge) • Email: Tarhely.eu (Hungary, EU)
All infrastructure:
Located in EU (data residency)
GDPR-compliant DPAs signed
Regular security audits
Backups:
Daily automated backups
30-day retention (PRO)
90-day retention (ENTERPRISE)
Geo-redundant storage (3 regions)
Encrypted at rest
Regular restore testing
Is CADENSA GDPR compliant?
Yes! Fully GDPR compliant:
Your rights:
Right to Access
→ Export your data anytime
→ Settings → Profile → Export Data
Right to Rectification
→ Edit your data in app
→ Update profile, time entries
Right to Erasure ("Right to be forgotten")
→ Delete account permanently
→ Settings → Profile → Delete Account
Right to Data Portability
→ Export in JSON/CSV formats
→ Take your data anywhere
Right to Object
→ Opt-out of marketing emails
→ Control notification preferences
Our commitments:
Data Processing Agreement (DPA) available
Privacy by design and default
Data minimization (collect only needed data)
Consent-based processing
Breach notification (within 72 hours)
EU data storage (Frankfurt)
Regular compliance audits
GDPR features:
Settings → Privacy:
• View data we collect
• Export all your data
• Delete your account
• Manage cookie preferences
• Review data processors
• Download DPA
Cookie management:
Granular cookie consent (Essential, Functional, Marketing)
Site analytics are cookie-free (Plausible — no consent required)
Easy opt-out anytime via Cookie Settings
Transparent cookie policy with full disclosure
Automatic deletion when categories disabled
- Cookie Preferences Documentation →
Request DPA: support@cadensa.io
What data do you collect?
Data we collect:
Account data:
Email address (required for login)
Name (first, last)
Password (encrypted, never stored in plain text)
Profile picture (optional)
Job title, department (optional)
Phone number (optional, for 2FA)
Usage data:
Time entries (date, project, duration, description)
Projects and tasks (names, budgets, settings)
Workspace settings
Reports generated
Login history (IP, device, location)
Billing information (payment method, invoices)
Technical data:
Browser type and version
Device type (desktop/mobile)
Operating system
IP address (for security)
Cookies (session, preferences)
Data we DON'T collect:
Browsing history outside CADENSA
Keystrokes or screenshots
Personal files on your device
Data from other apps
Unnecessary personal information
View your data:
Settings → Privacy → View Collected Data
• See exactly what we have
• Export anytime (JSON/CSV)
• Delete permanently
Can I delete my account and data?
Yes! Permanent deletion available:
Account deletion process:
1. Settings → Profile → Delete Account
2. Export your data first (recommended)
3. Enter password to confirm
4. Type "DELETE" to confirm
5. Click "Permanently Delete Account"
6. 7-day grace period begins
Grace period (7 days):
Days 1-6:
• Account deactivated (can't login)
• Data preserved
• Can cancel deletion
• Email sent with reactivation link
Day 7:
• Permanent deletion
• All data removed from production
• Backups purged within 30 days
• Irreversible
What gets deleted:
Your account and profile
All time entries
Personal projects
Workspace memberships
Settings and preferences
Login history
Uploaded files
What's retained (legal requirement):
Kept for 90 days (legal compliance):
• Invoice history (accounting law)
• Payment records (tax law)
• Audit logs (security requirement)
After 90 days: Fully deleted
Workspace ownership:
If you own a workspace:
1. Must transfer ownership first
→ Settings → Workspace → Transfer
2. Or delete workspace entirely
3. Then can delete personal account
Who can access my data?
Access control:
Your team (within workspace):
Role-based access:
Admin:
Full access to all data
Can see all time entries
Can edit workspace settings
Can manage users
Manager:
See team time entries
Manage assigned projects
Generate team reports
Can't see billing
Member:
See own time entries
See assigned projects
Can't see others' entries
Viewer:
Read-only access
See assigned projects
Can't track time
CADENSA employees:
Support team (with your permission):
View data to troubleshoot issues
Only when you contact support
Access logged in audit trail
Under strict confidentiality
Developers:
No access to production data
Can access anonymized analytics
Can't identify individual users
Third parties:
We never sell your data
No advertising partners
No data mining
Limited sharing (required for service): • Stripe: Payment processing only • AWS: Hosting infrastructure • SMTP (own mail server): Email delivery • All under strict DPAs
Data sharing (ENTERPRISE):
Client portal feature (Coming Soon):
• Share specific project reports
• Clients see only their project
• Controlled by you
• Can revoke anytime
What certifications do you have?
Security certifications:
SOC 2 Type II:
Certified since 2025
Annual audits
Trust Service Criteria:
• Security
• Availability
• Confidentiality
• Processing integrity
• Privacy
Request report: support@cadensa.io
GDPR Compliance:
EU data residency
Data Processing Agreement (DPA)
Privacy by design
Right to erasure
Data portability
Breach notification process
ISO 27001 (in progress):
Expected: Q2 2026
• Information security management
• Regular audits
• Continuous improvement
HIPAA Compliance (ENTERPRISE add-on):
Available for healthcare:
• Business Associate Agreement (BAA)
• PHI encryption
• Audit logs
• Access controls
• Breach notification
Contact: <a data-action="support" href="#">support@cadensa.io</a>
PCI DSS compliance (via Mollie):
Mollie B.V. payment processing (PCI DSS Level 1 certified)
No card data stored by CADENSA
Secure redirect-based checkout (card details never enter CADENSA servers)
EU-based processor (Netherlands) — no US data transfer for payments
What happens if there's a data breach?
Breach response plan:
Detection:
24/7 monitoring:
• Intrusion detection systems
• Log analysis (automated)
• Security alerts
• Anomaly detection
Response (within 1 hour):
1. Isolate affected systems
2. Assess scope of breach
3. Contain and remediate
4. Preserve evidence for investigation
Notification:
Within 72 hours (GDPR requirement):
Email to affected users:
• What data was accessed
• When breach occurred
• What we're doing about it
• Steps you should take
Email includes:
• Breach details
• Affected accounts
• Recommended actions
• Support contact
• Complimentary credit monitoring (if applicable)
Remediation:
1. Fix vulnerability
2. Enhanced monitoring
3. Password reset (if needed)
4. 2FA enforcement
5. Security audit
6. Public disclosure (if required)
To date:
Zero data breaches
No unauthorized access incidents
No data loss events
Strong security track record
How long do you keep my data?
Data retention:
Active accounts:
FREE plan:
• Last 30 days: Full access
• Older data: Read-only
• Forever: Not deleted unless you request
PRO plan:
• Last 1 year: Full access
• Older data: Read-only
• Forever: Not deleted unless you request
ENTERPRISE:
• All data: Forever (unless deleted)
• Custom retention policies available
IP addresses (GDPR Art. 5(1)(e) — storage limitation):
Last login IP address:
• Retained for up to 90 days after last login
• Cleared automatically by weekly cleanup job
Terms acceptance IP & user agent:
• Retained for up to 12 months after acceptance
• Cleared automatically by weekly cleanup job
Account deletion request IP:
• Retained for up to 2 years (audit trail)
• Cleared automatically by weekly cleanup job
Deleted accounts:
Day 0: Account deleted
• 7-day grace period
• Data preserved
• Can reactivate
Day 7: Permanent deletion
• Production data deleted
• Appears in backups for 30 days
Day 37: Full purge
• All backups purged
• Completely unrecoverable
Billing data:
Kept for legal compliance:
• Invoices: 7 years (accounting law)
• Payment records: 7 years (tax law)
• VAT records: 10 years (EU law)
Even after account deletion
VIES validation snapshots (GDPR Art. 5(1)(e)):
EU VAT validation results (company name, address from VIES):
• Cleared after 180 days from validation date
• Cleared automatically by weekly cleanup job
• validatedAt date and valid flag are retained (no PII)
Audit logs (ENTERPRISE):
Retention options:
• 90 days (default)
• 1 year (extended)
• 7 years (compliance)
• Forever (custom)
Backups:
• Daily backups: 30 days (PRO)
• Weekly backups: 90 days (ENTERPRISE)
• Monthly backups: 1 year (ENTERPRISE custom)
Can I request a security audit report?
Yes! Available for ENTERPRISE customers:
Available reports:
SOC 2 Type II Report
• Annual audit
• Trust Service Criteria
• Independent third-party
• NDA required
Penetration Test Summary
• Annual testing
• Executive summary (no vulnerabilities disclosed)
• Remediation status
Security Questionnaire Responses
• Standard vendor assessment
• Customizable to your needs
Data Processing Agreement (DPA)
• GDPR compliant
• Available to all customers
ISO 27001 Certificate (Q2 2026)
• Once certified
• Public document
How to request:
1. Email: <a data-action="security" href="#">security@cadensa.io</a>
2. Include:
• Company name
• Your role
• Document needed
• Purpose (vendor assessment, audit, etc.)
3. NDA required for SOC 2
4. Receive within 2-3 business days
Do you use third-party services?
Yes, trusted partners only:
Infrastructure:
Hetzner Online GmbH
• Purpose: Server hosting, MongoDB database
• Region: EU (Germany)
• DPA: Yes
• Certification: ISO 27001, TÜV-audited DPA
Vercel
• Purpose: CDN, landing page hosting
• Global: EU edge nodes
• DPA: Yes
• Certification: SOC 2, ISO 27001
Storage (invoice archival):
Wasabi Technologies, LLC
• Purpose: Subscription invoice PDF archival
• Region: EU (eu-central-2 / Frankfurt, Germany)
• Mode: WORM Object Lock COMPLIANCE — 8-year immutable retention
• Compliance: Hungarian Accounting Act §169 (8 years mandatory)
• DPA: Yes (wasabi.com/legal/data-processing-addendum)
• Data: Invoice PDFs only (no operational user data)
Invoicing & tax reporting:
Billingo Technologies Zrt.
• Purpose: Electronic invoice issuance + NAV Online Számla 3.0 reporting
• Region: EU (Hungary)
• DPA: Yes (billingo.hu/adatvedelem)
• Data transferred: customer name, billing address, tax/EU VAT number,
email, invoice line items and amounts
• Retention: 8 years (mandatory under Hungarian Accounting Act §169)
• Sub-processors: NAV (Hungarian Tax Authority — mandatory legal reporting)
Payments:
Mollie B.V.
• Purpose: Payment processing, subscription management
• Region: Netherlands (EU) — Amsterdam
• Security: PCI DSS Level 1 certified
• DPA: Automatic upon registration (GDPR Art. 28 — EU processor)
• Data: Payment mandate reference only (card details never touch CADENSA servers)
• No US data transfer for payments
Communications:
Tarhely.eu (EZIT Kft.)
• Purpose: SMTP email delivery
• Region: EU (Hungary)
• DPA: Yes (GDPR compliant)
• Data: Email addresses only
Integrations (optional, user-initiated):
Google LLC (Google Calendar)
• Purpose: Optional calendar import — user-initiated only
• Region: United States (US data processing)
• Legal basis: GDPR Art. 6(1)(a) — explicit user consent
• Data: OAuth token (AES-256 encrypted), calendar event data during sync only
• Consent: Shown before activation; revocable anytime in Settings → Integrations
• DPA: Yes (Google Cloud Data Processing Amendment)
Analytics & Feedback:
Plausible Analytics (plausible.io)
• Purpose: Privacy-first website analytics (page views, traffic sources)
• Region: EU (Estonia — Plausible OÜ)
• Legal basis: No consent required — cookie-free, no personal data collected
• Data: Aggregated page views only; no user tracking, no cross-site data
• DPA: Not required (no personal data processed)
Formbricks (self-hosted: surveys.cadensa.io)
• Purpose: NPS and in-app feedback surveys
• Region: EU — Hetzner Germany (self-hosted, no US data transfer)
• Legal basis: Consent (optional cookie category)
• Loaded only after user consent is granted
• DPA: Not required (self-hosted, no third-party data processor)
Monitoring:
Sentry (staging environment only)
• Purpose: Error tracking in staging/QA
• Data: Anonymized error logs
• Not used in production
• DPA: Yes
All partners:
GDPR compliant
Data Processing Agreements (DPA)
EU data residency (where possible)
Regular security reviews
Can be disabled (some features affected)
Next Steps
- General FAQs → - About CADENSA
- Security Settings → - Configure security
- Profile Settings → - Export data
- Privacy Policy → - Full policy
Privacy Questions?
- Privacy team: support@cadensa.io
- Compliance: support@cadensa.io
- Security: security@cadensa.io
- DPO: dpo@cadensa.io (Data Protection Officer)
Response time: 48 hours for privacy requests