Logo preload
close Logo

Security & Infrastructure

Overview

Fulcrum is a cloud-based data collection and storage platform designed to simplify the process of creating customized data collection apps for conducting field surveys. As a cloud solution, the Fulcrum platform runs on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) infrastructure, including Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), Simple Storage Service (S3), and Virtual Private Cloud (VPC). By harnessing the AWS infrastructure, Fulcrum offers higher-availability, redundant high-capacity storage, and added reliability over self-hosted software solutions. Fulcrum has achieved SOC 2 Type 2 Certification.

DOWNLOAD OUR SECURITY DOCUMENT

Secure at Every Step

All network communications in Fulcrum are secured with 256-bit SSL (TLS) connections to keep your data safe through every step of the process. This is the same level of security provided by online banking institutions and popular e-commerce sites.

Automated Backup & Disaster Recovery

Our entire cloud infrastructure is continually replicated across multiple datacenter regions. Redundant servers and automated, real-time backups mean your data is always safe in the event of localized server failures or network outages.

Protected Payments

All credit card details go through a secure merchant gateway, with PCI Service Provider Level 1 certification. Your sensitive payment information always goes straight to the merchant processor, and always remains secure.

IT-Friendly

As a managed service, all data and systems are hosted by us with no need for manual installation, configuration, and maintenance of servers on your own hardware. Don’t shoulder the burden of managing yet another piece of software.

Security Summary

DEPLOYED ON AWS

The Fulcrum infrastructure is deployed on Amazon Web Services (AWS), and benefits from the security practices of AWS. Please refer to the AWS Cloud Security documentation for additional information.

 

ENCRYPTION

All information transmitted to and from Fulcrum is encrypted using 256-bit SSL (TLS). Data stored in Fulcrum is encrypted at rest using AES-256 including data records, media, signatures, and other attachments. Certain customer account information is additionally encrypted.

 

SECURE DEVELOPMENT

Our application development process is designed to allow us to address security vulnerabilities, based on severity, as part of our standard release cycle.

 

NETWORK SECURITY

Within AWS, Fulcrum’s instances are segmented into separate networks to provide additional controls over data flows within the system. All instances, including those not accessible to the public, are hardened and managed with automated configuration management.

 

ENDPOINT SECURITY

All company-owned machines are managed via mobile device management (MDM), which updates malware signatures daily.

 

ACCESS CONTROL

We implement a least privilege approach to ensure that only administrative staff have access to Fulcrum database in accordance with the Fulcrum Terms of Service. Access to the Fulcrum AWS infrastructure is managed by our corporate single-sign-on (SSO) solution, which requires multiple factors to grant access.

 

AUTHENTICATION

All user accounts in Fulcrum require strong passwords for authentication to the system. In addition to the built-in Fulcrum authentication system, enterprise users may link to their own identity providers using SAML 2.0.

 

PERSONNEL

All Spatial Networks, Inc. staff undergo a background check and sign a non-disclosure agreement. Aside from our use of AWS, we do not outsource any aspect of Fulcrum development, operation, or administration.

 

MONITORING AND LOGGING

We use modern tools to monitor the Fulcrum infrastructure for suspicious activity. Alerts are automatically routed in our corporate communications for review and remediation. Fulcrum provides several layers of logging, which can be analyzed via automated or manual means.

 

REDUNDANCY AND BACKUP

For disaster recovery, a warm standby is maintained in a separate availability zone and kept in sync via constant streaming replication. We run nightly full backups of the Fulcrum database, which are retained for 30 days. Within user accounts, Fulcrum retains a complete history of edits for each data record.

 

VALIDATION
We perform quarterly penetration tests, using industry-standard practices. Findings are reviewed with Fulcrum technical staff and added to the Fulcrum roadmap for adjudication, based on severity. Customers are also welcome to perform their own tests against the public-facing components of Fulcrum.

 

SOC 2 Type 2 Compliance

For SaaS companies in the United States, SOC 2 is considered the “gold standard” for security compliance. In order to achieve SOC 2 certification, companies must submit to an independent audit that assesses one or more of five crucial factors relating to security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy.