Data Protection

Overview

Data protection is a cornerstone of Earna AI’s security program, ensuring that sensitive customer data, financial information, and business-critical assets are properly classified, secured, and managed throughout their lifecycle. This document outlines our comprehensive data protection strategy aligned with SOC2 Type II requirements and Canadian privacy regulations.

Data Classification Framework

Classification Levels


interface DataClassification {
  public: {
    definition: 'Information intended for public disclosure'
    examples: ['Marketing materials', 'Press releases', 'Public documentation']
    handling: 'No special protection required'
    retention: 'Business-driven'
  }
 
  internal: {
    definition: 'Information for internal business use'
    examples: ['Policies', 'Procedures', 'Internal communications']
    handling: 'Access controls applied'
    retention: 'Standard business retention'
  }
 
  confidential: {
    definition: 'Sensitive business information'
    examples: ['Financial reports', 'Strategic plans', 'Vendor contracts']
    handling: 'Encryption and strict access controls'
    retention: 'Extended retention periods'
  }
 
  restricted: {
    definition: 'Highly sensitive regulated information'
    examples: ['Customer PII', 'Financial data', 'Authentication credentials']
    handling: 'Highest security controls, encryption, audit logging'
    retention: 'Regulatory compliance requirements'
  }
}

Automated Data Discovery

Data Protection Controls

Encryption Standards


encryption_requirements:
  data_at_rest:
    algorithm: "AES-256"
    key_management: "Hardware Security Module (HSM)"
    key_rotation: "Annual"
    compliance: "FIPS 140-2 Level 3"
 
    implementation:
      databases:
        - PostgreSQL: "Transparent Data Encryption (TDE)"
        - MongoDB: "WiredTiger encryption"
        - Redis: "Redis encryption at rest"
 
      file_systems:
        - Linux: "LUKS full disk encryption"
        - Cloud: "Native cloud encryption (AWS KMS, GCP KMS)"
 
      backups:
        - Encrypted before transmission
        - Separate encryption keys
        - Secure key escrow
 
  data_in_transit:
    protocol: "TLS 1.3"
    certificate_authority: "Trusted CA"
    perfect_forward_secrecy: true
 
    implementation:
      web_traffic: "HTTPS with HSTS"
      api_communications: "mTLS for service-to-service"
      database_connections: "SSL/TLS encrypted"
      file_transfers: "SFTP or secure APIs"
 
  data_in_use:
    application_level:
      - Field-level encryption for PII
      - Tokenization for payment data
      - Secure enclaves where available
 
    memory_protection:
      - Secure memory allocation
      - Memory scrubbing after use
      - Process isolation

Access Control Matrix

Data Classification	Read Access	Write Access	Admin Access	Retention
Public	All authenticated users	Content managers	IT administrators	Business-driven
Internal	Employees only	Department leads	IT administrators	3 years default
Confidential	Need-to-know basis	Senior management	Security team	5-7 years
Restricted	Authorized personnel only	Compliance officers	CISO approval	Regulatory requirements

Data Loss Prevention (DLP)


class DataLossPrevention {
  async monitorDataFlow(data: DataFlow): Promise<DLPResult> {
    const results = {
      allowed: true,
      violations: [] as string[],
      actions: [] as string[]
    }
 
    // Content inspection
    const contentAnalysis = await this.analyzeContent(data.content)
    if (contentAnalysis.containsPII) {
      results.violations.push('PII detected in unauthorized channel')
      results.actions.push('Block transmission and alert security team')
      results.allowed = false
    }
 
    // Destination validation
    if (data.destination.external && !data.destination.approved) {
      results.violations.push('Transmission to unapproved external destination')
      results.actions.push('Block and require approval')
      results.allowed = false
    }
 
    // User authorization
    const authorized = await this.checkUserAuthorization(
      data.user,
      data.classification,
      data.action
    )
    if (!authorized) {
      results.violations.push('Insufficient user privileges')
      results.actions.push('Block and log unauthorized attempt')
      results.allowed = false
    }
 
    return results
  }
 
  patterns = {
    creditCard: /\b(?:\d{4}[-\s]?){3}\d{4}\b/,
    ssn: /\b\d{3}-\d{2}-\d{4}\b/,
    sin: /\b\d{3}[-\s]?\d{3}[-\s]?\d{3}\b/,
    email: /\b[A-Za-z0-9._%+-]+@[A-Za-z0-9.-]+\.[A-Z|a-z]{2,}\b/,
    phoneNumber: /\b(\+1[-.\s]?)?\(?[0-9]{3}\)?[-.\s]?[0-9]{3}[-.\s]?[0-9]{4}\b/
  }
}

Data Handling Procedures

Data Collection

Data Processing


data_processing_principles:
  lawfulness:
    - Consent obtained
    - Legal obligation
    - Vital interests
    - Public task
    - Legitimate interests
 
  fairness:
    - Transparent processing
    - No deception
    - Reasonable expectations
    - No unfair disadvantage
 
  transparency:
    - Clear privacy notices
    - Accessible information
    - Proactive communication
    - Regular updates
 
  purpose_limitation:
    - Specified purposes
    - Explicit purposes
    - Legitimate purposes
    - Compatible use only
 
  data_minimization:
    - Adequate data only
    - Relevant data only
    - Limited to purpose
    - Regular review
 
  accuracy:
    - Current information
    - Correction procedures
    - Regular updates
    - Source verification
 
  storage_limitation:
    - Defined retention periods
    - Regular deletion
    - Anonymization options
    - Archive procedures
 
  security:
    - Appropriate measures
    - Risk-based approach
    - Regular assessment
    - Incident response


interface DataSharingGovernance {
  internal: {
    authorization: 'Need-to-know basis'
    tracking: 'Complete audit trail'
    controls: 'Role-based access'
    monitoring: 'Real-time monitoring'
  }
 
  external: {
    partners: {
      assessment: 'Due diligence required'
      contracts: 'Data processing agreements'
      monitoring: 'Ongoing compliance checks'
      liability: 'Shared responsibility model'
    }
 
    vendors: {
      vetting: 'Security assessment'
      agreements: 'Standard contractual clauses'
      oversight: 'Regular audits'
      termination: 'Data return procedures'
    }
 
    regulators: {
      basis: 'Legal obligation'
      scope: 'Minimum necessary'
      format: 'Secure transmission'
      tracking: 'Complete documentation'
    }
  }
 
  crossBorder: {
    assessment: 'Adequacy decisions'
    safeguards: 'Appropriate safeguards'
    consent: 'Explicit consent when required'
    monitoring: 'Transfer impact assessments'
  }
}

Data Subject Rights

Rights Management System

Request Processing


class DataSubjectRightsManager {
  async processRequest(request: DataSubjectRequest): Promise<Response> {
    // Step 1: Validate request
    const validation = await this.validateRequest(request)
    if (!validation.valid) {
      return this.createResponse('invalid', validation.reason)
    }
 
    // Step 2: Verify identity
    const identity = await this.verifyIdentity(request.requester)
    if (!identity.verified) {
      return this.requestAdditionalVerification(request)
    }
 
    // Step 3: Locate data
    const dataLocations = await this.findAllData(request.subject)
 
    // Step 4: Assess feasibility
    const feasibility = await this.assessFeasibility(request, dataLocations)
    if (!feasibility.feasible) {
      return this.createResponse('not_feasible', feasibility.reason)
    }
 
    // Step 5: Process request
    switch (request.type) {
      case 'access':
        return await this.processAccessRequest(dataLocations)
      case 'rectification':
        return await this.processRectificationRequest(request, dataLocations)
      case 'erasure':
        return await this.processErasureRequest(dataLocations)
      case 'portability':
        return await this.processPortabilityRequest(dataLocations)
      case 'restriction':
        return await this.processRestrictionRequest(dataLocations)
      case 'objection':
        return await this.processObjectionRequest(dataLocations)
    }
  }
 
  private async processErasureRequest(locations: DataLocation[]): Promise<Response> {
    const deletionResults: DeletionResult[] = []
 
    for (const location of locations) {
      // Check for legal obligations
      if (await this.hasLegalRetentionObligation(location)) {
        deletionResults.push({
          location: location.id,
          status: 'retained',
          reason: 'Legal retention obligation'
        })
        continue
      }
 
      // Perform deletion
      const result = await this.secureDelete(location)
      deletionResults.push(result)
    }
 
    return this.createDeletionResponse(deletionResults)
  }
}

Data Breach Management

Incident Response Process


breach_response:
  detection:
    monitoring:
      - Security information and event management (SIEM)
      - Data loss prevention (DLP) alerts
      - User access monitoring
      - External notifications
 
    reporting:
      - Employee incident reporting
      - Customer complaints
      - Vendor notifications
      - Third-party discoveries
 
  containment:
    immediate:
      - Isolate affected systems
      - Revoke compromised credentials
      - Block unauthorized access
      - Preserve evidence
 
    assessment:
      - Determine scope of breach
      - Identify data types affected
      - Assess number of individuals
      - Evaluate risk of harm
 
  notification:
    regulators:
      timeline: "72 hours maximum"
      authority: "Privacy Commissioner of Canada"
      content: "Breach details, impact, mitigation"
 
    individuals:
      timeline: "Without undue delay"
      method: "Direct communication preferred"
      content: "Nature of breach, likely consequences, measures taken"
 
    stakeholders:
      - Board of directors
      - Senior management
      - Legal counsel
      - Insurance provider

Breach Documentation


interface BreachRecord {
  incident: {
    id: string
    discoveredDate: Date
    discoveredBy: string
    incidentType: 'Unauthorized access' | 'Data loss' | 'System compromise' | 'Human error'
    affectedSystems: string[]
  }
 
  impact: {
    dataTypes: DataType[]
    recordCount: number
    individualCount: number
    geographicScope: string[]
    riskAssessment: {
      identityTheft: 'Low' | 'Medium' | 'High'
      financialLoss: 'Low' | 'Medium' | 'High'
      reputationalDamage: 'Low' | 'Medium' | 'High'
      physicalHarm: 'Low' | 'Medium' | 'High'
    }
  }
 
  response: {
    containment: {
      actions: string[]
      timestamp: Date
      effectiveness: string
    }
 
    investigation: {
      rootCause: string
      timeline: string
      evidenceCollected: string[]
    }
 
    notifications: {
      regulator: {
        sent: boolean
        date: Date
        reference: string
      }
      individuals: {
        sent: boolean
        date: Date
        method: string
        count: number
      }
    }
 
    remediation: {
      immediate: string[]
      longTerm: string[]
      preventive: string[]
      cost: number
    }
  }
}

Data Retention and Disposal

Retention Schedule


retention_schedule:
  customer_data:
    personal_information:
      retention: "7 years after account closure"
      legal_basis: "PCMLTFA requirements"
      disposal_method: "Secure deletion with verification"
 
    transaction_records:
      retention: "7 years from transaction date"
      legal_basis: "PCMLTFA and tax requirements"
      disposal_method: "Secure deletion with audit trail"
 
    communication_records:
      retention: "5 years from last communication"
      legal_basis: "Business requirements"
      disposal_method: "Automated deletion"
 
  employee_data:
    personnel_files:
      retention: "7 years after employment ends"
      legal_basis: "Labour standards and tax requirements"
      disposal_method: "Secure shredding and deletion"
 
    payroll_records:
      retention: "7 years from payment date"
      legal_basis: "Tax and employment law requirements"
      disposal_method: "Secure deletion with verification"
 
  business_data:
    contracts:
      retention: "7 years after expiration"
      legal_basis: "Limitation periods"
      disposal_method: "Secure deletion"
 
    financial_records:
      retention: "7 years from fiscal year end"
      legal_basis: "Tax and corporate law requirements"
      disposal_method: "Secure deletion with audit trail"

Secure Disposal


class SecureDisposal {
  async disposeData(dataAsset: DataAsset): Promise<DisposalResult> {
    // Verify disposal authorization
    const authorized = await this.verifyDisposalAuthorization(dataAsset)
    if (!authorized) {
      throw new Error('Disposal not authorized')
    }
 
    // Check for legal holds
    const holds = await this.checkLegalHolds(dataAsset)
    if (holds.length > 0) {
      return {
        status: 'delayed',
        reason: 'Legal hold active',
        holds: holds
      }
    }
 
    // Perform disposal based on data type and location
    let result: DisposalResult
 
    switch (dataAsset.location.type) {
      case 'database':
        result = await this.disposeDatabaseData(dataAsset)
        break
      case 'file_system':
        result = await this.disposeFileSystemData(dataAsset)
        break
      case 'cloud_storage':
        result = await this.disposeCloudData(dataAsset)
        break
      case 'backup':
        result = await this.disposeBackupData(dataAsset)
        break
      case 'physical':
        result = await this.disposePhysicalData(dataAsset)
        break
    }
 
    // Generate disposal certificate
    await this.generateDisposalCertificate(dataAsset, result)
 
    // Update retention records
    await this.updateRetentionRecords(dataAsset, result)
 
    return result
  }
 
  private async disposeDatabaseData(asset: DataAsset): Promise<DisposalResult> {
    const operations = []
 
    // Secure deletion with overwrite
    operations.push(await this.secureDelete(asset.location))
 
    // Verify deletion
    operations.push(await this.verifyDeletion(asset.location))
 
    // Update indexes
    operations.push(await this.updateDatabaseIndexes(asset.location))
 
    return {
      status: 'completed',
      method: 'secure_database_deletion',
      operations: operations,
      verification: await this.generateVerificationHash(operations)
    }
  }
}

Privacy by Design

Implementation Framework

Technical Privacy Controls


interface PrivacyControls {
  dataMinimization: {
    collection: 'Collect only necessary data'
    processing: 'Process only for stated purpose'
    retention: 'Keep only as long as needed'
    access: 'Grant access only when required'
  }
 
  pseudonymization: {
    implementation: 'Replace identifiers with pseudonyms'
    keyManagement: 'Separate key storage'
    reversibility: 'Controlled re-identification'
    automation: 'Automated pseudonymization'
  }
 
  anonymization: {
    techniques: ['K-anonymity', 'L-diversity', 'T-closeness']
    validation: 'Re-identification risk assessment'
    monitoring: 'Ongoing anonymity validation'
    documentation: 'Anonymization methodology'
  }
 
  consentManagement: {
    capture: 'Granular consent capture'
    storage: 'Consent record management'
    withdrawal: 'Easy consent withdrawal'
    verification: 'Consent verification mechanisms'
  }
}

Compliance Monitoring

Key Performance Indicators


data_protection_kpis:
  privacy_metrics:
    data_subject_requests:
      - Total requests received
      - Response time (target: <30 days)
      - Request fulfillment rate (target: 100%)
      - Request accuracy rate (target: >95%)
 
    consent_management:
      - Consent capture rate (target: 100%)
      - Consent withdrawal processing time
      - Consent update accuracy
      - Granular consent adoption
 
    data_breaches:
      - Number of incidents (target: 0)
      - Time to detection (target: <1 hour)
      - Time to containment (target: <4 hours)
      - Notification timeliness (target: 100%)
 
  technical_metrics:
    encryption_coverage:
      - Data at rest encryption (target: 100%)
      - Data in transit encryption (target: 100%)
      - Key rotation compliance (target: 100%)
 
    access_control:
      - Unauthorized access attempts
      - Access review completion rate
      - Privileged access monitoring
      - Identity verification success rate
 
    data_lifecycle:
      - Retention policy compliance
      - Automated disposal success rate
      - Data classification accuracy
      - Backup encryption coverage

Audit and Assessment


class DataProtectionAudit {
  async conductComplianceAudit(): Promise<AuditResult> {
    const results = {
      overallScore: 0,
      findings: [] as Finding[],
      recommendations: [] as Recommendation[],
      riskLevel: 'Unknown' as RiskLevel
    }
 
    // Technical controls audit
    const technicalResults = await this.auditTechnicalControls()
    results.findings.push(...technicalResults.findings)
 
    // Process audit
    const processResults = await this.auditProcesses()
    results.findings.push(...processResults.findings)
 
    // Documentation audit
    const documentationResults = await this.auditDocumentation()
    results.findings.push(...documentationResults.findings)
 
    // Training audit
    const trainingResults = await this.auditTraining()
    results.findings.push(...trainingResults.findings)
 
    // Calculate overall score
    results.overallScore = this.calculateComplianceScore(results.findings)
    results.riskLevel = this.determineRiskLevel(results.overallScore)
 
    // Generate recommendations
    results.recommendations = await this.generateRecommendations(results.findings)
 
    return results
  }
 
  private async auditTechnicalControls(): Promise<AuditSection> {
    const controls = [
      'Encryption implementation',
      'Access control effectiveness',
      'Data classification accuracy',
      'Backup encryption',
      'Audit logging completeness',
      'Data retention automation'
    ]
 
    const findings = []
    for (const control of controls) {
      const result = await this.testControl(control)
      if (!result.compliant) {
        findings.push({
          control: control,
          severity: result.severity,
          description: result.description,
          remediation: result.remediation
        })
      }
    }
 
    return { section: 'Technical Controls', findings }
  }
}

Training and Awareness

Data Protection Training Program


training_program:
  all_employees:
    frequency: "Annual"
    duration: "2 hours"
    topics:
      - Data classification and handling
      - Privacy principles and rights
      - Incident reporting procedures
      - Secure data disposal
      - Password and access management
    assessment: "Required with 80% pass rate"
 
  data_handlers:
    frequency: "Semi-annual"
    duration: "4 hours"
    topics:
      - Advanced data handling procedures
      - Encryption and security tools
      - Data subject request processing
      - Cross-border transfer requirements
      - Breach response procedures
    assessment: "Required with 85% pass rate"
 
  privacy_team:
    frequency: "Quarterly"
    duration: "8 hours"
    topics:
      - Regulatory updates
      - Privacy impact assessments
      - Consent management
      - Vendor assessments
      - Audit preparation
    assessment: "Certification maintenance"

Next Steps

Complete Data Discovery: Implement automated data discovery and classification
Deploy DLP Solution: Implement comprehensive data loss prevention
Enhance Monitoring: Deploy advanced privacy monitoring tools
Update Procedures: Finalize all data handling procedures
Conduct Training: Train all staff on data protection requirements
Perform Assessment: Conduct comprehensive privacy audit
Continuous Improvement: Establish ongoing privacy enhancement program

Contact Information

Data Protection Officer: dpo@earna.ai
Privacy Team: privacy@earna.ai
Security Incident: security-incident@earna.ai
Data Subject Requests: privacy-requests@earna.ai