Portal Worx Logo
Trust & security

Your data, taken seriously. Every layer, every day.

Encryption, isolation, audit history, and the kind of operational discipline that lets you put your client’s work in our hands without a second thought. Here’s exactly how it works.

Last updated: 12 September 2026

How we protect your data

Six things working together, all the time.

01

Encrypted in transit and at rest.

Everything that travels between your browser and our servers is encrypted with TLS. Everything written to disk is encrypted on AWS infrastructure. Passwords are never stored in plain text; they’re hashed with PBKDF2 at high iteration counts so even we can’t read them back.

02

Your workspace is private by default.

Each organisation lives in its own isolated database space, not just a row in a shared table. Your data is physically separated from every other customer’s. Access across workspaces isn’t blocked by a permission check. It’s blocked by the structure of the system itself.

03

Sign-in built for security.

Sessions use secure HTTP-only cookies with cross-site request protection. Magic-link sign-in is there if you’d rather not have a password (single-use, 15-minute tokens). Repeated failed login attempts lock the account for a while, and it recovers by itself. Multi-factor authentication is on the near-term roadmap. Until then, use a strong unique password and protect the email inbox tied to your account.

04

A logged trail on both sides.

Sign-ins, account changes, administrative actions and other significant security events are logged with the IP address and browser they came from. Security records are kept for 90 days, and critical events are kept indefinitely. Project activity is a separate trail and keeps a full year, so when an audit question comes up, the answer’s already there.

05

Built on AWS.

Hosted on Amazon Web Services with managed PostgreSQL databases, S3 file storage delivered via CloudFront, and automated backups. AWS infrastructure underneath us holds SOC 2, ISO 27001 and other industry compliance certifications. Your data sits inside that perimeter.

06

Built-in abuse protection.

Sensitive endpoints are rate-limited to stop brute-force attacks before they start. Failed login attempts are capped with automatic lockout. Account creation is throttled per IP. Outbound email is throttled per workspace.

Privacy & compliance

Built around the laws that protect your customers.

Portal Worx is operated by SM Worx Group Ltd, a UK company registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office under reference ZC218511. The Service is built around UK GDPR, EU GDPR for users in the European Economic Area, and POPIA for users in South Africa.

UK & EU GDPR

Full support for data subject rights, including access, rectification, erasure (the right to be forgotten) and data portability. You can submit an erasure request directly through the platform.

POPIA

We process personal information lawfully, minimise what we collect, name an Information Officer you can contact, and stay transparent about how data is used.

File pseudonymisation

Every uploaded file gets a UUID-based filename so the file itself carries no personally identifiable information. Storage paths are workspace-prefixed to keep one organisation’s files structurally separate from the next.

Data retention

Deleted projects, folders, categories and reports stay in a 30-day recovery window before permanent deletion. Individual documents and images are removed straight away. Account data is kept while a subscription lapses or a trial expires, so you can resume without losing anything.

Breach notification

If there’s a data breach, we notify the relevant supervisory authority within 72 hours as GDPR requires, and notify affected users without undue delay. The full process is in our Privacy Policy.

Data Processing Agreement

If your organisation needs a formal DPA as part of your own GDPR or POPIA obligations, we have one ready. View our Data Processing Agreement.

What you can do

Five habits that keep your team safe.

The platform handles a lot, but the strongest setup is the one your team commits to as well. Five habits worth building in.

01

Use strong, unique passwords.

At least 8 characters, a mix of letters and numbers, and never reused across other services. A password manager makes this painless.

02

Keep credentials private.

Every team member should have their own account. A shared login makes it impossible to know who did what, and it survives long after the original person leaves.

03

Review user access regularly.

Workspace admins should check now and then who’s on the team and remove access for anyone who no longer needs it. Once a quarter is about right.

04

Use the privacy controls.

Every document category can have its own audience. Use a private one for sensitive contracts, financial records, and anything else the whole team shouldn’t see.

05

Tell us if something looks wrong.

Spot a sign-in you don’t recognise, an action you didn’t take, or anything that feels off? Email security@portal-worx.com immediately.

Found a vulnerability?

Report it. We’ll thank you for it.

We welcome responsible disclosure of security vulnerabilities. When you report one, we ask that you:

  • Give us enough detail to reproduce and fix the issue.
  • Allow us reasonable time to address the vulnerability before public disclosure.
  • Don’t access, modify, or delete data belonging to other users during your research.
  • Don’t take actions that could degrade the service for others.
security@portal-worx.com

For more on how we handle your data, see our Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy, and Data Processing Agreement.