> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://tendrill.ai/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How Your Data is Protected

> Bank-level security through Plaid integration and encryption

## Your security is our priority

We understand that connecting your brokerage accounts requires trust. Tendrill is built from the ground up with security and privacy as core principles. Here's how we protect your financial data.

<Info>
  **Bank-level security.** Tendrill uses the same security infrastructure trusted by Venmo, Coinbase, and thousands of financial applications.
</Info>

## Plaid: The foundation of secure connections

Tendrill uses Plaid to connect to your brokerage accounts. Plaid is the industry standard for secure financial data connections.

### What is Plaid?

Plaid is a financial technology company that securely connects your bank and brokerage accounts to apps. They've been trusted with:

* **Over 100 million** consumer accounts connected
* **12,000+** financial institutions supported
* **8,000+** apps and services powered

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="SOC 2 Type II Certified" icon="certificate">
    Regular third-party audits verify security controls
  </Card>

  <Card title="256-bit Encryption" icon="lock">
    All data encrypted in transit and at rest
  </Card>

  <Card title="Bank-grade Infrastructure" icon="building-columns">
    Same security standards as major financial institutions
  </Card>

  <Card title="Regulatory Compliance" icon="scale-balanced">
    GDPR, CCPA, and financial privacy compliant
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## How the security works

### Credential protection

When you connect your brokerage:

<Steps>
  <Step title="You authenticate directly with your brokerage">
    You enter your credentials into Plaid's secure interface - not Tendrill
  </Step>

  <Step title="Plaid verifies and establishes connection">
    Plaid communicates directly with your brokerage using encrypted channels
  </Step>

  <Step title="Tendrill receives only portfolio data">
    We get your holdings and balances - never your username, password, or account numbers
  </Step>
</Steps>

**You** -> *Username/Password (encrypted)* -> **Plaid** -> *Holdings only (no credentials)* -> **Tendrill**

<Check>Tendrill NEVER sees your login credentials</Check>
<Check>All data encrypted in transit (TLS 1.2+)</Check>
<Check>All data encrypted at rest (AES-256)</Check>

### Read-only access

Tendrill has **read-only** access to your accounts. This means:

| We CAN                            | We CANNOT                 |
| --------------------------------- | ------------------------- |
| ✅ See your holdings and positions | ❌ Execute trades          |
| ✅ See your account balances       | ❌ Transfer money          |
| ✅ See your transaction history    | ❌ Change account settings |
| ✅ See cost basis (when available) | ❌ Access other accounts   |

<Warning>
  **No trade execution capability.** Even if someone compromised Tendrill (which is extremely unlikely given our security), they could not move money or make trades. The connection is technically read-only.
</Warning>

## Data encryption

### In transit

All data moving between systems is encrypted:

* **TLS 1.2+** encryption for all connections
* **Certificate pinning** to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks
* **Secure WebSocket** connections for real-time data

### At rest

All stored data is encrypted:

* **AES-256** encryption (military grade)
* **Key management** through secure cloud providers
* **Regular rotation** of encryption keys

## Infrastructure security

Tendrill's infrastructure follows industry best practices:

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Cloud security" icon="cloud">
    * Hosted on major cloud providers (AWS/GCP) with enterprise security
    * SOC 2 compliant infrastructure
    * Regular security audits and penetration testing
    * DDoS protection and WAF (Web Application Firewall)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Access controls" icon="user-lock">
    * Strict role-based access for employees
    * Multi-factor authentication required internally
    * Activity logging and monitoring
    * Principle of least privilege
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Monitoring" icon="eye">
    * 24/7 security monitoring
    * Automated threat detection
    * Incident response procedures
    * Regular security updates
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## What data we store

Tendrill stores the minimum data necessary to provide the service:

| Data                   | Stored? | Purpose                                    |
| ---------------------- | ------- | ------------------------------------------ |
| Phone number           | Yes     | Your account identity and message delivery |
| Holdings data          | Yes     | Portfolio monitoring and insights          |
| Conversation history   | Yes     | Context for follow-up questions            |
| Brokerage credentials  | **No**  | Never stored - handled only by Plaid       |
| Account numbers        | **No**  | Not needed for our service                 |
| Social Security Number | **No**  | Never requested or accessed                |

## Your rights and controls

You're always in control of your data:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Disconnect anytime" icon="link-slash" href="/privacy-security/disconnecting">
    Remove brokerage connections instantly
  </Card>

  <Card title="Delete your data" icon="trash" href="/privacy-security/disconnecting">
    Request complete data deletion
  </Card>

  <Card title="View connected apps" icon="list" href="https://my.plaid.com">
    See all apps using your data via Plaid
  </Card>

  <Card title="Export your data" icon="download">
    Request a copy of your data
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Third-party security validation

Our security practices are validated by:

* **Plaid's security requirements** - We must meet their standards to use their service
* **Cloud provider certifications** - AWS/GCP security certifications
* **Regular penetration testing** - Third-party security assessments
* **Bug bounty program** - Security researchers help identify vulnerabilities

## FAQ

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Has Tendrill ever been hacked?">
    No. We have never experienced a security breach. We maintain rigorous security practices and continuously invest in protecting your data.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Is my data sold to third parties?">
    Absolutely not. We never sell, share, or monetize your financial data. See our [Zero Data Retention Policy](/privacy-security/zero-retention).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What if Plaid is compromised?">
    Plaid has never experienced a breach of user data. They employ industry-leading security practices and are regularly audited. In the unlikely event of any security incident, we would notify affected users immediately.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can Tendrill employees see my portfolio?">
    Access to user data is strictly limited. Only essential personnel have access for support purposes, and all access is logged and audited.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Reporting security concerns

If you discover a potential security vulnerability:

<Card title="Report a security issue" icon="bug" href="mailto:security@tendrill.ai">
  Contact [security@tendrill.ai](mailto:security@tendrill.ai) - we take all reports seriously
</Card>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Zero Retention Policy" icon="eraser" href="/privacy-security/zero-retention">
    Learn about our data retention approach
  </Card>

  <Card title="Disconnecting Data" icon="link-slash" href="/privacy-security/disconnecting">
    How to remove your data
  </Card>
</CardGroup>