Skip to main content

The Zero-PII Shield: Privacy Architecture

At AutoAllocate, we prioritise the protection of Personal Information [often referred to as Personally Identifiable Information (PII)]. Our unique "Zero-PII Shield" ensures that sensitive data remains under your control at all times.

info

This documentation is designed to assist Information Technology (IT) departments and Data Protection Officers (DPOs) in conducting security and GDPR compliance reviews.

1. Local-First Ingestion​

The most significant security feature of AutoAllocate is that your data ingestion happens entirely within your browser.

Whether you are:

  • Adding resources or targets manually,
  • Uploading a CSV file,
  • Or pasting data from a spreadsheet...

The data does not leave your computer. The ingestion process is client-side; theoretically, you could import your entire dataset while disconnected from the internet.

2. Browser Storage (IndexedDB)​

AutoAllocate uses IndexedDB, a powerful storage system built into your web browser, to store your resource and target data.

  • No Server Storage: Your sensitive names, contact details, and attribute values are not stored on our servers.
  • Local Ownership: You remain the sole custodian of the Personal Information you use for your allocation tasks.

3. Pseudonymisation & The Solver​

When you click "Run Solver", our algorithm needs to process the logic of your allocation. However, it does not need to know "who" or "what" your entities are.

  1. Identifier Mapping: Before the data is sent to the server, AutoAllocate replaces all names and protected attributes with unique numerical identifiers.
  2. Encrypted Transmission: Only these identifiers and the logic (rules/sizes/capacities) are submitted to the cloud-based engine.
  3. Client-Side Re-mapping: Once the engine finds a solution, it returns the identifiers. Your browser then maps these identifiers back to the original names stored in your local IndexedDB for display and export.
important

Because names and protected attributes are never submitted, our servers never "see" or "store" your sensitive Personal Information.

4. Hybrid Cloud-Browser Model​

AutoAllocate is not a traditional "pure cloud" software. It is a hybrid between cloud-based computation and browser-based data management. This has important operational implications:

  • Device Consistency: Because your data is stored locally in the browser, you must use the same computer and the same browser to access your project data. If you log in from a different device, your projects will appear, but the names and data linked to them will not be visible unless you re-import them on that device.
  • Not for Shared Computers: You should only use AutoAllocate on a secure, personal or work-assigned computer.
warning

A technically skilled person with physical access to your computer could potentially view the resource and target data via the browser's Web Developer Tools, even if they do not have your AutoAllocate password. Always lock your workstation when away from your desk.

5. GDPR Compliance​

Our architecture is specifically designed to simplify your GDPR obligations. By ensuring that Personal Information is never "processed" or "stored" on our servers in an identifiable format, we significantly reduce the data protection risk for your organisation.