How does Merge Encrypt and Store data?
Merge encrypts all data at rest and in-transit!
All our data is stored in AWS, and is encrypted using the AES-256 encryption algorithm. Data is not allowed to be stored on external media, and production data is never moved out of production environments. Additionally, employees are only granted permission to view customer data upon customer request.
In regards to the location in which data is stored, EU data will only be stored in the Stockholm AWS region and APAC data will only be stored in the Singapore AWS region. Single-Tenant Environments are also available for purchase for as part of an annual plan if an additional level of security is required.
What does Merge do to ensure customer credentials are secure?
Customer credentials are encrypted as-rest and in-transit. We utilize two separate layers of encryption, one at the storage layer, and another at the application layer, to ensure that credentials are secured.
You can see here we are listed as a sub-processor for Drata, one of our customers who is a market leader in the data security and compliance space. Drata is trusted by large organizations to help them achieve and maintain security certifications including; SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS & HIPAA.
Does Merge have an on-prem offering?
Merge does not currently offer on-prem. We do offer a single-tenant environment, where your data is hosted in an AWS region of your choice. You receive your own servers and databases, and though Merge manages it, your data is fully separated from that of other Merge customers.
Do you store my customers data?
Yes, Merge stores both end user data and end user credentials.
Where do you store it?
Merge has three default, multi-tenant data centers: AWS Virginia, AWS Stockholm, and AWS Singapore. All three are available at no additional cost, and can be used in parallel if you have a global customer base.
For a cost, Merge can also provision a single tenant environment in any AWS data center of your choosing. Reach out to our sales team for more information on single tenant environments.
How long do you store it?
Customer data and credentials are stored indefinitely, until actively deleted by the Merge customer. Linked accounts can be deleted from the Dashboard, or over API.
Please note: revoking an integration will NOT delete existing data for the Linked Account, it will only prevent new data from being created.
Why do you store it?
There are many reasons why Merge decided to store data, rather than serving as a passthrough-only platform. A few of these reasons are highlighted below.
Efficiency: Storing data allows Merge to increment on our database, rather than performing a full refresh on each sync. This allows us to resync your data more often and more quickly, while still complying with 3rd party rate limits.
Product Features: Storing data allows Merge to build many features on top of our internal database, including webhooks, endpoint filters, common model scopes, and partial syncing.
De-Risking: Having an internal database makes Merge customers less vulnerable to 3rd party outages and API changes
Normalization: Ultimately, every 3rd party API is unique. By storing customer data, Merge can obfuscate most of these differences behind our API. Merge customers do not need to be concerned with 3rd party rate limits, API format (ie REST vs SOAP), available filters, or 3rd party API architecture as a result.
What controls do you have in place around accessing and moving this data?
Security is at the core of the Merge product, and we know that storing sensitive data is a major factor in the consideration of any subprocessor. To make ensure the security of end user data, we invested extensively in our security credentials and infrastructure. Please review the resources below, or reach out to [email protected] if you have any questions on our security practices.