Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

SmartShield ("we," "our," "us," or "Company") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our browser extension and related services.

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our services.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Domain Information

When you visit a website, SmartShield collects the domain name (e.g., example.com) to perform security analysis. We do NOT collect:

• URLs with query parameters or personal data in the path
• Page content or form data
• Cookies or session tokens
• Login credentials or sensitive personal information

2.2 WHOIS & DNS Data

To assess domain security, we retrieve publicly available WHOIS and DNS records through third-party APIs. This data includes:

• Domain registrant information (publicly available)
• DNS records (MX, A, NS, TXT records)
• SSL/TLS certificate details
• Domain registration and expiration dates

2.3 Threat Analysis & Cache

SmartShield stores threat assessment results locally on your device for 24 hours to improve performance and reduce API calls. This data is:

• Stored exclusively on your local machine
• Never transmitted to our servers
• Automatically deleted after 24 hours
• Not used for profiling or tracking

3. How We Use Your Information

We use collected information solely for:

• Detecting phishing attempts and malicious domains
• Providing real-time security threat alerts
• Displaying threat analysis and remediation recommendations
• Improving detection algorithms (anonymized data only)
• Preventing fraud and malicious activity

4. Data Sharing & Third Parties

4.1 Third-Party APIs

SmartShield uses the following third-party services to perform security analysis:

• WHOIS Lookup Services: To retrieve domain registration information
• DNS Query Services: To analyze domain DNS records
• SSL Certificate Checkers: To verify SSL/TLS configuration
• Threat Databases: To cross-reference known malicious domains

These services receive only the domain name for analysis. Please review their privacy policies for their data handling practices.

4.2 We Do NOT Share Data With

• Marketing or advertising partners
• Data brokers or analytics companies
• Social media platforms
• Any third party for commercial purposes

5. Your Privacy Rights

5.1 Data Control

Since SmartShield stores all threat data locally on your device:

• You have complete control over your data
• You can clear cache anytime through extension settings
• Uninstalling the extension deletes all stored data
• No central server stores your browsing history

5.2 Opt-Out

You can disable SmartShield at any time by:

• Toggling "Safe Mode" off in the extension popup
• Removing the extension from Chrome
• Using the Chrome settings to disable the extension

6. Data Security

SmartShield implements industry-standard security practices:

• All API communications use HTTPS encryption
• Local data is encrypted in Chrome storage
• We do not log or store domain lists on central servers
• Regular security audits and updates

7. Children's Privacy

SmartShield is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 13, we will delete such information promptly.

8. Policy Updates

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will notify you of any material changes by updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page.

Continued use of SmartShield after changes are posted means you accept the updated Privacy Policy.

9. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or SmartShield's privacy practices, please contact us at:

10. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

Under California law, you have the right to:

• Know what personal data is collected
• Delete your personal data
• Opt-out of data sales (we don't sell data)
• Non-discrimination for exercising your rights

Since SmartShield collects data locally and does not maintain a centralized user database, these rights are automatically enforced through local storage control.

11. GDPR Compliance (EU Users)

SmartShield complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

• Data is processed with legitimate security interests
• No personal data is stored long-term
• You can withdraw consent anytime by disabling the extension
• Data retention is minimal (24-hour cache only)