Data security in the AtikTeam cloud
When using online software, one naturally wonders about data security. Here is an overview, in the form of a FAQ, of the mechanisms in place in the AtikTeam project management software.
What are the aspects of data security?
Data security needs can be divided into two categories:
- managing the confidentiality of data access: only people allowed to view the data will be able to do so;
- preserving data integrity: a hardware failure will not cause any data loss.
Confidentiality
What means are used to ensure the confidentiality of data access?
The confidentiality of data access rests on three pillars:
- the authentication of the platform users, with a login / password system;
- the access permissions policy, which defines the data visible to each user;
- the encryption of communications between users and AtikTeam servers
Why does authentication matter and how does it work on AtikTeam?
The authentication step identifies the user logging in, in order to give them their individual access. The goal is to prevent identity theft, while striving to keep the procedure as light as possible for the legitimate user. Like most online software, AtikTeam uses a login / password authentication for this. To avoid credential leaks, AtikTeam will never send a password, even a temporary one, by email.
Are passwords stored on AtikTeam servers?
No! AtikTeam servers store a cryptographic digest of the password, that is, the result of processing the password with a "one-way" hash function, making it impossible to deduce the password from the stored data.
Never trust an online service that is able to send you back your forgotten password: it would mean that it is stored as is on its servers.
What happens if a user forgets their password?
During the authentication step, this person will automatically be invited to report it. An email will then be sent to the address verified when their account was created. This email will contain a secure link, giving access to a procedure that lets them set a new password for their account. It is therefore essential to have access to the email address used to log in.
What access permissions are available in AtikTeam?
AtikTeam is a multi-project platform. Each workspace is associated with a project team, which can view the documents and act in the project, according to each member's role. A user cannot view a project workspace that is not open to them. A project team is set up by the platform administrators, or by a manager of that project. In each project, a collaborator can be given the role of project manager (read / write / team management), collaborator (read / write) or observer (read only). It is also possible to restrict access to some documents within a project itself, using the fine-grained permissions module. Finally, an administrator can restrict the geographic area from which a user can log in, to make sure for example that connections only come from the company's premises.
What is the purpose of encrypting communications between the web browser and AtikTeam servers?
The Internet is a large network of machines through which communications travel. Between the user's computer on their premises and a provider's servers, data is commonly transmitted by intermediate third parties (Internet service provider, wifi access point, proxies etc.). To prevent data in transit from being read, AtikTeam enforces the use of an encrypted HTTPS channel (Transport Layer Security), together with a server authentication certificate. This system is exactly the same as the one used by banks to secure online payments.
Never trust an online service that does not enforce full encryption of communications, starting from authentication. This encryption is shown by the HTTPS logo in the browser's address bar, along with the certificate.
Data integrity
What means are used to ensure data integrity?
The AtikTeam service runs on a set of networked machines, installed in a datacenter in the Paris area. This is called a server cluster. These machines constantly exchange data, so that the failure of one machine does not cause any data loss. In practice, most AtikTeam servers can be unplugged suddenly without even disrupting the service, thanks to hardware redundancy.
What happens in case of a general accident in the datacenter?
Datacenters are buildings specially designed to provide the highest quality hosting for servers. Machines are therefore safer there than anywhere else (protection against intrusion, flooding, fire, power outages etc.). However, as an additional precaution, your AtikTeam data is exported once a day to other servers, installed in another remote datacenter, as encrypted archives. In case of a major accident in the Paris datacenter, we would therefore be able to restore all data from these archives.
That is not enough for me, I want to have all my data on my own servers, on my premises. Is that possible?
Yes, absolutely. A module specially designed for this need is available. By enabling it, you can set up daily backups of your data on your own machines. This module even keeps a history of the changes that occurred (automatic archiving), and lets you browse the data instantly with your web browser.
Do you have other questions about security on AtikTeam? Let's talk, we will be happy to answer them. Call us or send us a message.
To discover the features of the collaborative project management platform, visit www.atikteam.com.