1. Information We Collect
1.1 Information You Provide
When you create a Pro account or contact us, we may collect:
- Email address — for account creation, billing, and security alerts
- Name — for personalising your account
- Payment information — processed securely by Dodo Payments (we never store card numbers)
1.2 Information Collected Automatically
When you use the scanner, we automatically collect:
- URLs you scan — to perform the security check and return results
- IP address — for rate limiting (free tier: 11 scans/day) and fraud prevention
- Browser type and version — for compatibility and security
- Date and time of scans — for your scan history dashboard (Pro users)
- Referring website — to understand how users find us
1.3 Information We Do NOT Collect
- We do not scan or access the internal content of any website beyond what is publicly visible
- We do not collect passwords, personal data from scanned websites, or sensitive financial information
- We do not sell your personal data to any third party
- Free tier users (no account) are not identifiable — scans are tracked by IP only for rate limiting
2. How We Use Your Data
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
| Purpose | Legal Basis |
|---|---|
| Performing malware scans you request | Contract (providing the service) |
| Managing your Pro subscription | Contract |
| Sending security alert emails (Pro) | Contract / Legitimate interest |
| Preventing abuse and rate limiting | Legitimate interest |
| Improving our detection accuracy | Legitimate interest |
| Complying with legal obligations | Legal obligation |
| Sending marketing emails (opt-in only) | Consent |
4. Third-Party Services
We use the following third-party services. Each has its own privacy policy:
| Service | Purpose | Privacy Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Dodo Payments | Payment processing | View Policy |
| Anthropic (Claude AI) | AI-generated threat reports | View Policy |
| Google Safe Browsing | Malware/phishing detection | View Policy |
| Spamhaus, PhishTank, etc. | Blacklist databases | Individual policies apply |
| Google AdSense | Advertising on blog | View Policy |
URLs you submit for scanning may be sent to these third-party threat intelligence services as part of the scanning process. No other personal information is shared.
5. Data Security
We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data:
- All data is transmitted over HTTPS/TLS encryption
- Passwords are hashed using bcrypt (minimum cost factor 12)
- Payment data is handled entirely by Dodo Payments — we never store card numbers
- Access to production systems is restricted to authorised personnel only
- Security vulnerabilities are patched promptly
While we take reasonable steps to protect your information, no method of internet transmission is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.
6. Your Rights
Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:
- Access — Request a copy of the data we hold about you
- Correction — Request correction of inaccurate data
- Deletion — Request deletion of your account and personal data
- Portability — Request your data in a portable format
- Objection — Object to certain processing activities
- Withdraw consent — Withdraw marketing consent at any time
To exercise any of these rights, email us at support@smartmalwarescan.online. We will respond within 30 days.
7. Data Retention
- Free users: IP-based scan counts are cleared daily. No personal data is stored.
- Pro accounts: Account data is retained while your account is active and for 90 days after deletion, for legal and billing purposes.
- Scan history: Pro users' scan history is retained while the account is active. You can delete individual scans or all history from your dashboard at any time.
- Payment records: Billing records are retained for 7 years as required by tax law.
8. Children's Privacy
SmartMalwareScan is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at support@smartmalwarescan.online and we will delete it promptly.
9. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will:
- Update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page
- Notify Pro account holders by email for significant changes
Continued use of SmartMalwareScan after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
10. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact us: