Effective Date: September 1, 2025 

Last Updated on: September 1, 2025 

‍

This Data Processing Agreement (the “DPA”) constitutes a legally binding agreement between You and Us. You and Us are hereinafter referred to individually as a “Party” and collectively as the “Parties”). You are required to read this DPA carefully as this DPA forms an integral part of the Terms of Service available at https://www.spendflo.com/terms-and-conditions (the “Terms of Use'') and is applicable where We are the Processors of Your Personal Data forming part of the Customer Data. 

‍

1. Definitions

Terms not specifically defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in the Terms. 

In this DPA, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

‍

“Artificial Intelligence” (“AI”) means any system or software that performs tasks typically requiring human intelligence, including but not limited to decision-making, natural language processing, pattern recognition, content generation, or predictive analytics, whether implemented using machine learning, deep learning, or other algorithmic techniques. 

‍

“Data Protection Laws” shall mean the data protection laws of the country in which You are established and any data protection laws applicable to You in connection with the Terms, including but not limited to (a) GDPR, (b) in respect of the UK, the GDPR as saved into United Kingdom by virtue of section 3 of the United Kingdom European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (“UK GDPR”) and the Data Protection Act, 2019 (together, “UK Data Protection Laws”) (c) the Swiss Federal Data Protection Act and its implementing regulations (“Swiss DPA”) (d) California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (“CPRA”) in each case, as may be amended, superseded or replaced.  

‍

“GDPR” shall mean the Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the Processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation).

‍

“Large Language Model” (“LLM”) means a type of Artificial Intelligence system trained on extensive datasets to generate or analyze human language, capable of producing human-like text, extracting meaning from unstructured text, or generating summaries, recommendations, or classifications. LLMs include proprietary systems such as OpenAI’s GPT models, Google’s Gemini, Meta’s LLaMA, and other similar foundation models. The Parties acknowledge that Customer Data, including Personal Information, shall not be used to train, fine-tune, or otherwise improve any Artificial Intelligence system or Large Language Model, whether developed by the Processor or a third party. This restriction applies regardless of anonymization or aggregation unless explicitly authorized in writing by You.

‍

“Machine Learning” (“ML”) shall mean a subset of artificial intelligence (AI) involving the development and use of algorithms and statistical models that enable computer systems to automatically learn from and make predictions or decisions based on data, without being explicitly programmed for each specific task.

‍

“Personal Data” shall mean any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person as defined by the General Data Protection Regulation of the European Union ("GDPR" EC-2016/679) that is Processed by the Processor as part of providing the services to You.

‍

“Restricted Transfer” means: (i) where the GDPR applies, a transfer of Personal Data from the EEA to a country outside the EEA which is not subject to an adequacy determination by the European Commission; (ii) where the UK GDPR applies, a transfer of Personal Data from the UK to any other country which is not based on adequacy regulations pursuant to Section 17A of the Data Protection Act 2018; and (iii) where the Swiss DPA applies, a transfer of Personal Data to a country outside of Switzerland which is not included on the list of adequate jurisdictions published by the Swiss Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner. 

‍

“Standard Contractual Clauses” or “SCCs” means (i) where the GDPR applies, the standard contractual clauses as approved by the European Commission (Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/914 of 04 June 2021) Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/914 of 04 June 2021) and available at https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32021D0914  (“EU SCCs”); (ii) where the UK GDPR applies, the applicable standard data protection clauses adopted pursuant to Article 46(2)(c), or (d) of the UK GDPR (“UK SCCs”) and (iii) where the Swiss DPA applies, the applicable standard data protection clauses issued, approved or recognized by the Swiss Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (the “Swiss SCCs”) (in each case, as updated, amended or superseded from time to time).

‍

“Sensitive Personal Information” means information that relates to an individual’s racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, genetic data, biometric data for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person, data concerning health, or data concerning a natural person's sex life or sexual orientation.  It also includes information about an individual's criminal offences or convictions, as well as any other information deemed sensitive under applicable data protection laws

‍

 “Controller”, “Data Subject”, “Personal Data Breach”, “Processor” and “Process” shall have the meaning given to them in the GDPR.

‍

2. Scope and Responsibilities

‍

2.1 This DPA applies to Processing of Personal Data forming a part of the Customer Data. We shall Process Personal Data only on Your behalf and at all times only in accordance with this DPA. For the avoidance of doubt, You may either be the Controller or Processor of the Personal Data. Where You are the Controller, We are the Processor and where You are the Processor, We are the sub-processor of Personal Data.  

2.2 Within the scope of the Terms, each party shall be responsible for complying with its respective obligations as Controller and Processor under Data Protection Laws.

‍

3. Processing of Data using AI and ML Technologies

‍

Your Data may be subject to processing through AI or any subset of AI technologies like LLM, ML for the limited purposes of enabling functionality such as OCR and summarization but is not limited to, using these for contract extraction, summarization, contextual analysis, and to generate recommendations and insights.

‍

Please note that;

1. Your Data is not used to train, fine-tune, or otherwise improve any AI models whether internally developed or those provided by third parties.
2. Your Data stays isolated and is stored in a secure U.S. data center, and handled under strict security and compliance standards. 
3. Users have the ability to opt out of specific AI features and request access, correction, or deletion of AI-processed data. 
4. AI processing is automated, with minimal human access under strict controls. 

For further information, please refer to our AI Data Usage Policy.

‍

4. Term and Termination

‍

4.1 This DPA becomes effective upon You subscribing to the Service(s) by agreeing to the Terms. It shall continue to be in full force and effect as long as We are Processing Personal Data pursuant to the Terms and shall terminate automatically thereafter. 

4.2 Where amendments are required to ensure compliance of this DPA with Data Protection Laws, the Parties shall make reasonable efforts to agree on such amendments upon Your request. Where the Parties are unable to agree upon such amendments, either party may terminate the Terms in accordance with the termination procedure contained therein.

‍

5. Processing Instructions

‍

5.1 We will Process Personal Data in accordance with Your instructions. This DPA contains Your initial instructions to Us. The Parties agree that You may communicate any change in your initial instructions to Us by way of amendment to this DPA, which shall be signed by the Parties.

5.2 For the avoidance of doubt, any instructions that would lead to Processing outside the scope of this DPA (e.g. because a new Processing purpose is introduced) will require a prior agreement between the Parties and, where applicable, shall be subject to the contract change procedure under the respective agreement.

5.3 We shall without undue delay inform You in writing if, in Our opinion, an instruction infringes Data Protection Laws, and provide a detailed explanation of the reasons for its opinion in writing. 

‍

6. Processor Personnel

‍

We will restrict Our personnel from Processing Personal Data without authorization. We will impose appropriate contractual obligations upon Our personnel, including relevant obligations regarding confidentiality, data protection and data security. 

‍

7. Disclosure to Third Parties; Data Subjects Rights 

‍

7.1 We will not disclose Personal Data to any government agency, court, or law enforcement except with Your written consent or as necessary to comply with applicable mandatory laws. If We are obliged to disclose Personal Data to a law enforcement agency, We agree to give You reasonable notice of the access request prior to granting such access, to allow You to seek a protective order or other appropriate remedy. If such notice is legally prohibited, We will take reasonable measures to protect the Personal Data from undue disclosure as if it were Our own confidential information being requested and shall inform You promptly as soon as possible if and when such legal prohibition ceases to apply.

7.2 In case You receive any request or communication from Data Subjects which relates to the Processing of Personal Data ("Request"), We shall reasonably provide You with full cooperation, information and assistance ("Assistance") in relation to any such Request where instructed by You.

7.3 Where We receive a Request, We shall (i) not directly respond to such Request, (ii) forward the Request to You within five (5) business days of identifying the Request as being related to You and (iii) provide Assistance according to further instructions from You. 

‍

8. Technical and Organizational Measures 

‍

8.1 We shall implement and maintain appropriate technical and organizational security measures to ensure that Personal Data is Processed according to this DPA, to provide assistance and to protect Personal Data against a Personal Data Breach ("TOMs"). Such measures shall include the measures set out in Schedule B. 

9. Assistance with Data Protection Impact Assessment 

‍

9.1 Where a Data Protection Impact Assessment ("DPIA") is required under applicable Data Protection Laws for the Processing of Personal Data, We shall provide, upon request, to You any information and assistance reasonably required for the DPIA including assistance for any communication with data protection authorities, where required, unless the requested information or assistance is not pertaining to Our obligations under this DPA. 

9.2 You shall pay Us reasonable charges for providing the assistance in clause 9, to the extent that such assistance cannot be reasonably accommodated within the normal provision of the services.

‍

10. Information Rights and Audit

‍

10.1 We shall, upon Your written request at reasonable intervals, make available the relevant information regarding Our Processing of Personal Data in the form of Our recent third-party audits and certifications which may include ISO 27001 certifications, and/or audit reports such as  SOC2, to ensure compliance with Our obligations set out in this DPA. You agree that such third-party audits and certifications are sufficient to demonstrate Our compliance with the obligations set out in this DPA.

10.2 We undertake to reasonably cooperate with You in its dealings with national data protection authorities and with any audit requests received from national data protection authorities.

‍

11. Personal Data Breach Notification

‍

In respect of any Personal Data Breach (actual or reasonably suspected), We shall: 

11.1 notify You of a Personal Data Breach involving Us or a sub-processor without undue delay and it shall be Your responsibility to inform the supervisory authority of such breach within seventy-two (72) hours of notice by Us; 

11.2 provide reasonable information, cooperation and assistance to You in relation to any action to be taken in response to a Personal Data Breach under Data Protection Laws, including regarding any communication of the Personal Data Breach to Data Subjects and national data protection authorities.

‍

12. Sub-Processing

‍

12.1 We have Your general authorisation for the engagement of third-party sub-processors from an agreed list, as set forth in Schedule C.  We will notify Your Account administrator of any changes to that list through the appointment or replacement of any sub-processor immediately. You may object to Our appointment or replacement of a sub-processor, provided such objection is based on reasonable grounds relating to data protection. In such an event, We will either not appoint or replace the sub-processor or, if this is not possible, You or We may suspend or terminate the Service(s) (without prejudice to any fees incurred by You prior to such suspension or termination). 

12.2 Where We, with Your intimation or authorisation, engage a sub-processor, We shall do so only by way of a binding written contract which imposes on the sub-processor essentially the same data protection obligations as the ones imposed upon Us under this DPA and in accordance with Art. 28 of the GDPR.  

12.3 Where the sub-processor fails to fulfil its data protection obligations under the subcontracting agreement, We shall remain fully liable to You for the fulfilment of Our obligations under this DPA and for the performance of the sub-processor 's obligations.

‍

13. International Data Transfers
    

13.1 To the extent that the Customer’s use of the Service(s) involves the transfer of Personal Data from the EEA, United Kingdom, or Switzerland to Spendflo in a manner that constitutes a “Restricted Transfer” under applicable Data Protection Laws, the Parties agree that such transfer shall be subject to the appropriate Standard Contractual Clauses (“SCCs”) as set out in this Section, which shall be deemed incorporated into and form part of this Agreement as set out hereinbelow.

Where no such transfer occurs at the signing of this Agreement, this Section shall not apply unless and until such a transfer takes place, at which point the terms in this Section shall automatically apply without the need for further amendment to this Agreement.: 

‍

a) In relation to transfers of Personal Data originating from the EEA and subject to the EU GDPR, the SCCs shall apply, completed as follows:

1. Module 2 (Controller to Processor) shall apply where You are a Controller and We are a Processor. Module 3 (Processor to Processor) shall apply where You are a Processor and We are a sub-processor;
2. in Clause 7, the optional docking clause will apply;
3. in Clause 11, the optional language will not apply;
4. in Clause 17, Option 1 will apply, and the EU SCCs will be governed by Irish law;
5. in Clause 18(b), disputes shall be resolved before the courts of Ireland;
6. Annex I of the EU SCCs shall be deemed completed with the information set out in Schedule A to this Agreement; and
7. Annex II of the EU SCCs shall be deemed completed with the information set out in Schedule B to this Agreement;

‍

b) In relation to transfers of Personal Data originating from the UK or Switzerland and subject to the UK GDPR or Swiss DPA, the EU SCCs as implemented under sub-paragraph (a) above will apply with the following modifications:

1. references to Regulation (EU) 2016/679; shall be interpreted as references to UK Data Protection Laws or the Swiss DPA (as applicable);
2. references to specific Articles of Regulation (EU) 2016/679; shall be replaced with the equivalent article or section of UK Data Protection Laws or the Swiss DPA (as applicable);
3. references to “EU”, “Union”, “Member State”, and “Member State law” shall be replaced with references to “UK”, “Switzerland”, “UK law”; or “Swiss law” (as applicable);
4. the term “member state” shall not be interpreted in such a way as to exclude data subjects in the UK or Switzerland from the possibility of suing for their rights in their place of habitual residence (i.e., the UK or Switzerland);
5. Clause 13(a) and Part C of Annex I are not used and the “competent supervisory” is the UK Information Commissioner or Swiss Federal Data Protection Information Commissioner (as applicable);
6. references to the “competent supervisory authority” and “competent courts” shall be replaced with references to the “Information Commissioner” and the “courts of England and Wales” or the “Swiss Federal Data Protection In- formation Commissioner” and “applicable courts of Switzerland” (as applicable);
7. in Clause 17, the Standard Contractual Clauses shall be governed by the laws of England and Wales or Switzerland (as applicable); and
8. with respect to transfers to which UK Data Protection Laws apply, Clause 18 shall be amended to state “Any dispute arising from these Clauses shall be resolved by the courts of England and Wales. A data subject may bring legal proceeding against the data exporter and/or data importer before the courts of any country in the UK. The Parties agree to submit themselves to the jurisdiction of such courts”, and with respect to transfers to which the Swiss DPA applies, Clause 18(b) shall state that disputes shall be resolved before the applicable courts of Switzerland.

‍

c) To the extent that and for so long as the EU SCCs as implemented in accordance with sub-paragraph (a) and (b) above cannot be used to lawfully transfer Personal Data in accordance with the UK GDPR to the Data Importer, the UK SCCs shall be incorporated into and form an integral part of this Agreement and shall apply to transfers governed by the UK GDPR. For the purposes of the UK SCCs, the relevant annexes, appendices or tables shall be deemed populated with the information set out in Schedules A and B of this Agreement.

‍

13.2 For the purposes of descriptions in the SCCs and the UK SCCs, You agree that You are the “data exporter” and We are the “data importer”.

‍

13.3 The Parties agree that if the Standard Contractual Clauses are replaced, amended or no longer recognized as valid under Data Protection Laws, or if a Supervisory Authority and/or Data Protection Legislation requires the adoption of an alternative transfer solution, the data exporter and data importer will: (i) promptly take such steps requested including putting an alternative transfer mechanism in place to ensure the processing continues to comply with Data Protection Laws; or (ii) cease the transfer of Personal Data and at the data exporter’s option, delete or return the Personal Data to the data exporter.
‍

13.4 It is hereby clarified that, following schedules given at the end of this DPA form an integral part of the DPA and therefore, this Agreement and covers the following aspects related to SCCs: 

2. Schedule A constitutes Annex I (Parts A, B, C) of the SCCs;
3. Schedule B constitutes Annex II of the SCCs; and
4. Schedule C is incorporated by reference for the purposes of Annex III (List of sub-processors) where applicable.

‍

14. Deletion or Return of Personal Data

‍

Upon termination of Your Account, We may delete all Customer Data, including Personal Data in accordance with the procedure set forth in the Terms. This requirement shall not apply to the extent that We are permitted by applicable law to retain some or all of the Personal Data, in which event We shall isolate and protect the Personal Data from any further processing. 

‍

15. CCPA OBLIGATIONS

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this DPA, this Section shall apply to the Personal Information of the residents of the State of California, USA. In this section the following terms “Business”, “ Service Provider”, “Personal Information”, “Consumers”, “Sell”, and “Share”, shall have the meaning given in the CCPA.

1. You acknowledge and agree that You are the Business and We are the Service Provider with respect to the Personal Information of Consumers (as those terms are understood under the CCPA) disclosed by You to Us forming part of Customer Data.
2. We will not Sell, or Share the Personal Information of Consumers that We process on Your behalf for providing the Platform and/or Services under the Terms.
3. We will not retain, use, or disclose Personal Information of Consumers that We process on Your behalf when providing the Platform and/or Services under the Terms for any purpose other than for the specific purpose of providing the Platform and/or the Services in accordance with the Terms and as part of the direct relationship between You and Us.
4. We will not combine the Personal Information that is received from or on Your behalf with Personal Information that is received from or on behalf of any other person or persons or from Our direct interaction with the Consumers except as permitted under the CCPA.
5. We will delete the Personal Information at Your direction as per a Consumer request for deletion of the Personal Information and will also direct any of the sub-processor engaged to delete such Personal Information. We shall not directly respond to a Consumer’s deletion request without Your prior authorization unless legally compelled to do so.
6. You acknowledge and agree that You shall be responsible for providing the required notice to Consumers with respect to sharing their Personal Information with Us.
7. We acknowledge that You have the right upon notice to take reasonable and appropriate steps to stop and remediate the unauthorized use of the Personal Information.
8. We shall provide reasonable cooperation to assist You to respond to any requests from individuals or applicable data protection authorities relating to the processing of Personal Information under the Terms and/or this DPA when You are required to respond to such requests under applicable Data Protection Laws. In the event that any such request is made directly to Us, We shall not respond to such communication directly without Your prior authorization, unless legally compelled to do so.
9. We shall notify You immediately if We determine that We can no longer comply with the obligations under CCPA.
10. We certify that We understand the restrictions in this Section and will comply with such restrictions.

‍

16. Miscellaneous

‍

16.1 In case of any conflict, the provisions of this DPA shall take precedence over the Terms or provisions of any other agreement with Us.

16.2 No party shall receive any remuneration for performing its obligations under this DPA except as explicitly set out herein or in another agreement. 

16.3 Where this DPA requires a “written notice” such notice can also be communicated per email to the other party. Notices shall be sent to the contact persons set out in Schedule A.

16.4 Any supplementary agreements or amendments to this DPA must be made in writing and signed by both Parties.

16.5 Should individual provisions of this DPA become void, invalid or non-viable, this shall not affect the validity of the remaining conditions of this DPA. 

The following Schedules form an integral part of this DPA:

‍

SCHEDULE A

A. LIST OF PARTIES UNDER THE SCCS

‍

Data exporter:

‍

The Data Exporter is the entity that has subscribed to the Terms and their contact details are as provided by them while subscribing to the Terms.

Signature & Date:  By entering into the Agreement, Data Exporter is deemed to have signed these SCCs incorporated herein, including their Annexes, as of the Effective Date of the Agreement.

‍

Role: Controller or Processor

‍

Data importer(s): [Identity and contact details of the data importer(s), including any contact person with responsibility for data protection]

‍

1. Name: Spendflo, Inc. 

‍

Address:

2261 Market Street #4821 San Francisco, CA 94114

‍

Contact person’s name, position and contact details:

‍

Name: Ajay Vardhan

 Designation: CTO

 Contact:  +91 9962555432

‍

Activities relevant to the data transferred under these Clauses: As specified under Part B.

‍

Signature & Date:  By entering into the Agreement, Data Importer is deemed to have signed these SCCs incorporated herein, including their Annexes, as of the Effective Date of the Agreement.

‍

Role: Processor or sub-processor

‍

B.   DESCRIPTION OF TRANSFER

‍

Categories of data subjects whose personal data is transferred

‍

Unless provided otherwise by the data exporter, transferred Personal Data relates to the following categories of Data Subjects: employees, contractors, business partners, customers or other individuals having Personal Data stored, transmitted to, made available to, accessed or otherwise processed by the data importer.

‍

Categories of personal data transferred

‍

The transferred Personal Data concerns the following categories of data:

‍

The data exporter determines the categories of Personal Data which could be transferred per the Service(s) as stated in the Terms of Service. Such categories may include the following categories of data: name, phone numbers, e-mail address, address data, system access / usage / authorization data, company name, contract data, invoice data, plus any application-specific data transferred by authorized personnel and may include financial data such as bank account data, credit or debit card data.

‍

Sensitive data transferred (if applicable) and applied restrictions or safeguards that fully take into consideration the nature of the data and the risks involved, such as for instance strict purpose limitation, access restrictions (including access only for staff having followed specialised training), keeping a record of access to the data, restrictions for onward transfers or additional security measures.

‍

No Sensitive Personal Data transferred. The data exporter shall not disclose (and shall not permit any individual to disclose) any Sensitive Personal Data to the data importer for processing.

‍

The frequency of the transfer (e.g., whether the data is transferred on a one-off or continuous basis)

‍

Personal Data is transferred on a continuous basis

‍

Nature of the processing

‍

Collection, recording, organisation, structuring, storage, adaptation or alteration, retrieval, consultation, use, disclosure by transmission, dissemination or otherwise making available, alignment or combination, restriction, erasure or destruction of data (whether or not by automated means).

‍

Purpose(s) of the data transfer and further processing

‍

Personal Data is transferred in the course of access and use by the data exporter of the Service(s) so that the data importer may provide, support, maintain and improve the Service(s).

‍

The data importer may further transfer Personal Data to third-party service providers that host and maintain the applications, backup, storage, payment processing, analytics and other services as specified in the section on sub-processors below. These third-party service providers may have access to or Process Personal Data for the purpose of providing these services.

‍

The period for which the personal data will be retained, or, if that is not possible, the criteria used to determine that period

‍

Upon termination of the data exporter’s account, the data importer will delete all Personal Data in accordance with clause 14 of the DPA.

‍

For transfers to (sub-) processors, also specify subject matter, nature and duration of the processing - Please refer Schedule C below for the same

‍

C. COMPETENT SUPERVISORY AUTHORITY

In respect of the SCCs:

‍

Module 2: Transfer Controller to Processor

‍

Module 3: Transfer Processor to Processor

‍

Where You are the data exporter, the supervisory authority shall be the competent supervisory authority that has supervision over You in accordance with Clause 13 of the SCCs.

‍

SCHEDULE B

‍

TECHNICAL AND ORGANISATIONAL MEASURES INCLUDING TECHNICAL AND ORGANISATIONAL MEASURES TO ENSURE THE SECURITY OF THE DATA

‍

 EXPLANATORY NOTE: 

‍

Technical and organizational measures as implemented for the ISO 27001 and SOC2 Type 2 certifications. You can request a copy of the report at ajay@spendflo.com.

‍

A condensed version of the technical and organizational measures as implemented by

Spendflo, is provided herewith for Your reference. For detailed implementation of these

measures and effectiveness of its operations, please refer to the SOC2 Type 2 certificate:

‍

Technical Measures

‍

1. Access Control:
   
   1. Access to Spendflo systems is granted on a need basis, adhering to the principle of least privilege. This means staff members are given only the minimum necessary access to perform their job responsibilities.
   2. Access to critical systems, including production databases and infrastructure, is restricted to authorized system and security administrators.
   3. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is mandatory for critical services and is enabled wherever possible to reduce reliance on passwords and add an additional layer of security.
   4. User system credentials are removed when access is no longer authorized, such as upon termination, within three business days.
   5. Automated monitoring tools like Sprinto App are used to continuously track access control requirements, monitor MFA status, and alert the security team to update access levels for staff whose roles have changed.
2. Encryption:
   
   1. Spendflo encrypts data at rest using managed databases and infrastructure provider options, with encryption keys managed by the provider.
   2. Company laptops are encrypted as outlined in the Endpoint Security Policy.
   3. Data in transit is encrypted using Transport Layer Security (TLS), with a minimum standard of TLS v1.2 and HTTPS for all public-facing properties.
   4. All passwords of end-users and customers are encrypted in transit and at rest. Cryptographic keys are generated and stored securely.
3. Network Security:
   
   1. Spendflo's production infrastructure is hosted on Amazon Web Services (AWS) within a virtual private cloud (VPC) in the US-East-2 (Ohio) region, ensuring a secure and virtual network environment.
   2. Firewalls and deny-by-default security groups protect internal AWS networks, ensuring only deliberately allowed traffic can pass through.
   3. Network components are protected from threats by intrusion prevention/detection systems.
   4. All VPC network flow logs, DNS logs, and other AWS console events are continuously monitored by AWS GuardDuty for malicious activity and unauthorized behavior, utilizing machine learning and anomaly detection.
   5. Remote system administration access to web and application servers is through cryptographic network protocols (e.g., SSH) or encrypted VPN connections.
   6. Networks are segregated into VPC subnets and data flow between different network domains is controlled via secure gateways.
4. Endpoint Security:
   
   1. Staff are responsible for installing critical firmware and software updates on their endpoints.
   2. All endpoints with access to critical data must use antivirus software to protect from malware.
   3. Hard disk encryption is required on respective operating systems.
   4. Endpoints are configured to auto-screen-lock after a reasonable inactive period (recommended 20 minutes).
5. Data Backup and Disaster Recovery:
   
   1. A daily full backup is configured for all customer data on Spendflo's infrastructure.
   2. Backups are stored at a redundant location outside the production environment.
   3. Backup restoration exercises are performed at least annually to ensure data is readable and usable.
   4. A Disaster Recovery Policy and Business Continuity Plan are in place to guide recovery from service outages or catastrophic events, with a priority on critical systems.
6. Vulnerability Management:
   
   1. Spendflo performs internal and external vulnerability scans and penetration tests periodically.
   2. Vulnerabilities are tracked, prioritized by severity (Critical, High, Medium, Low), and remediated according to defined SLAs.
   3. A third-party penetration and security assessment conducted in May 2024 confirmed that the Spendflo Web Application Portal is safe from OWASP Top 10 Vulnerabilities.
7. Change Management:
   
   1. All software developed is version-controlled using decentralized systems like Git, allowing for bug fixes, new features, and rollback capabilities.
   2. All planned changes require a pull request reviewed and approved by a peer or manager who is not the author.
   3. Automated triggers and tests (e.g., unit tests, code-quality checks) are integrated with pull requests.
   4. Unplanned changes (hotfixes) may skip immediate peer review but are reviewed post-facto.
   5. All changes to the production infrastructure are tracked by AWS CloudTrail.
8. Logging and Monitoring:
   
   1. Infrastructure elements and software are configured to capture security-relevant logs (e.g., privileged account use, system failures, policy violations, unauthorized access attempts, firewall traffic).
   2. Logs are securely maintained for a minimum period stipulated by applicable laws and regulations.
   3. Threat detection systems like AWS GuardDuty continuously monitor for malicious activity.
   4. Critical assets are continuously monitored to generate capacity alerts for optimal performance and protection against denial-of-service attacks.
9. Secure Development Lifecycle (SDLC):
   
   1. Security is integrated into all phases of the SDLC, from requirement gathering to maintenance.
   2. Development environments are physically and logically isolated from production environments.
   3. Engineers follow secure coding practices and use the latest code libraries.
   4. Testing is performed by a user other than the developer to ensure segregation of duties, in a staging environment separate from development and production.
   5. The use of operational data with personally identifiable information (PII) or other confidential information for testing is avoided; if used, sensitive details are protected by removal or modification.

‍

Organisational Measures

‍

1. Policies and Procedures: 
   
   1. A comprehensive set of formally documented policies and procedures governs various aspects of information security, including Acceptable Usage, Access Control, Asset Management, Business Continuity, Change Management, Cloud Security, Code of Business Conduct, Compliance, Confidentiality, Data Backup, Data Breach Notification, Data Classification, Data Protection, Data Retention, Disaster Recovery, Encryption, Endpoint Security, HR Security, Incident Management, Media Disposal, Network Security, Operations Security, Password, Physical Security, Privacy by Design, Risk Management, SDLC, and Vendor Management.
   2. All policies are made available to staff members on a public portal/company intranet and staff are required to acknowledge their understanding upon hiring and annually thereafter.
2. Roles and Responsibilities:
   
   1. The Information Security Officer (ISO) leads all information security efforts, responsible for identifying threats, formulating policies, monitoring efficacy, and managing incidents. The ISO has a direct line to the CEO.
   2. Senior Management holds ultimate responsibility, reviewing and approving key security aspects like risk assessments, vendor risk assessments, and company policies annually.
   3. Specific roles like Infra Operations Person, People Operations Head, and Compliance Program Manager are assigned responsibilities for asset management, HR security, and internal control environment respectively.
   4. Segregation of duties is considered when assigning roles to reduce opportunities for deliberate or accidental misuse of systems.
3. Staff Training and Awareness:
   
   1. All staff complete information security training within 30 days of joining and annually thereafter.
   2. Employees are educated on policies, security requirements, and legal responsibilities, including acceptable use and code of conduct.
4. Risk Management:
   
   1. A formal risk assessment process is conducted annually to identify, analyze, evaluate, and treat risks to Spendflo’s commitments.
   2. Potential for fraud is considered during risk assessment.
   3. Vendor risk assessments are performed annually for critical vendors, examining their security practices and certifications (e.g., SOC2, ISO27001).
   4. Risk mitigation activities are developed, and residual risks are managed.
5. Incident Response:
   
   1. A defined Incident Management and Response Policy outlines procedures for reporting, investigating, containing, remediating, and communicating security incidents.
   2. Incidents are classified by severity (Low, Medium, High, Critical), guiding response urgency.
   3. A record of security incidents is maintained, and post-mortems are conducted for critical incidents to identify root causes and lessons learned.
   4. Protocols are in place for internal communications during degraded IT conditions.
   5. Direct reporting to the ISO or CEO is required for suspected malicious activity by staff or partners.
6. Physical Security:
   
   1. Guidelines for securing physical premises include visitor management, ensuring staff escort visitors and report unauthorized persons.
   2. A clean desk policy prohibits leaving confidential information (customer data, security keys, passwords) on whiteboards or unattended notepads.
   3. Prohibition of printing restricted data and using removable media for critical data transfer.
   4. Guidelines for remote work emphasize device security (in-presence, screen-locked, secure storage) and awareness of "shoulder surfing" in public places.
7. Compliance and Audits:
   
   1. Spendflo's ISMS operates with consideration for compliance with statutory, regulatory, and contractual obligations.
   2. Periodic audits are conducted by competent, independent parties to ensure compliance with information security policies and procedures.
   3. Spendflo holds an ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification for its Information Security Management System.
   4. A SOC 2 Type 2 Report has been issued, confirming the suitability of design and operating effectiveness of controls relevant to Security, Availability, and Confidentiality.
   5. An annual technical assessment by a third-party is performed to identify potential vulnerabilities.
8. Commitment to Integrity and Ethical Values:
   
   1. A documented Code of Business Conduct outlines expectations for employee behavior, promoting a respectful and collaborative environment.
   2. Background verification checks are performed on prospective employees where possible, proportional to business requirements and information classification.
9. Privacy by Design:
   
   1. Spendflo integrates privacy considerations into its products and services from the earliest stages, emphasizing proactive protection, data minimization, end-to-end security, transparency, and user control.
   2. Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs) are conducted to identify and mitigate privacy risks.
   3. Appropriate consent is obtained from individuals before collecting or using personal information, where required by law.
10. Data Retention and Disposal:
    
    1. Data is retained only when there is a continued and valid reason, and customers have the right to request deletion of their data.
    2. A Media Disposal Policy provides guidance on securely decommissioning information assets containing classified information, recommending encryption, secure deletion, and physical destruction for critical data.

‍