MBehnken.com Privacy Practices
MBehnken.com (“I,” “me,” or “my”) is committed to protecting the privacy and security of my visitors’ and clients’ information. This Privacy Policy explains how I collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you visit my website, use my services, or engage with me.
1. Information I Collect
I collect personal information that you voluntarily provide or that is necessary to deliver my services effectively.
(a) Personal Information
I may collect the following types of personal information:
- Contact Information: Name, email address, phone number, and postal address.
- Account Information: Usernames, passwords, and payment details.
- Communication Data: Information you provide when you contact me for support or inquiries.
- Service Data: Information provided when you sign up for website maintenance and security services, as outlined in the Website Maintenance Agreement.
(b) Automatically Collected Information
When you visit my website, it automatically collects certain data to improve functionality and user experience:
- IP Address: A numeric address assigned by your internet service provider. This is used to facilitate communication with your device.
- Referrer Information: The web address you linked from, collected to understand traffic patterns.
- System Information: Browser type, operating system, and device details to improve compatibility and performance.
2. Use of Information
I use the information I collect to:
- Provide, maintain, and improve my services.
- Process payments and manage billing through secure third-party providers (e.g., Stripe, PayPal).
- Respond to inquiries and provide customer support.
- Improve website functionality and user experience.
- Enforce my Terms of Service and comply with legal obligations.
3. Sharing of Information
I only share personal information when necessary to:
- Process payments through secure third-party payment providers.
- Comply with legal requirements or respond to lawful requests.
- Protect the security and integrity of my services.
I do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information with third parties.
4. Website Maintenance & Security Services
When you engage me for website maintenance or security services, I may collect additional data necessary to provide these services:
(a.) Types of Data Collected
- Website Credentials: Admin-level access (e.g., WordPress login, cPanel, FTP/SFTP, et cetera) is stored securely and used solely for providing services.
- Hosting and Server Information: Details about your hosting environment and server configuration to troubleshoot and improve performance.
- Plugins and Themes: Information about installed plugins and themes to diagnose issues and apply updates.
- Performance and Security Logs: Monitoring of site performance, uptime, and security events (e.g., failed login attempts).
(b.) Use of Maintenance Data
I use collected data to:
- Provide regular updates and performance monitoring.
- Diagnose and troubleshoot website issues.
- Improve website security and prevent malicious activity.
- Back up and restore website data as part of the service agreement.
(c.) Third-Party Tools and Services
I may use the following third-party services to support maintenance, security, and functionality:
- ManageWP – For WordPress remote maintenance and monitoring.
- Wordfence – For security monitoring, threat detection and protection.
- Google Analytics – For website traffic analysis.
- UpdraftPlus – For creating and storing backups.
- UptimeRobot – For 24/7 uptime monitoring.
This list is not exhaustive, and additional third-party services or tools may be used as necessary to support my website operations. Only the minimum necessary data is shared with these services. If necessary, please review their privacy policies for more details.
(d.) Client Confidentiality and Access
- I will not access or modify your website content beyond the scope of the maintenance agreement unless authorized by you.
- Your credentials and sensitive information will be stored securely and encrypted to the highest standards.
- I will not share or disclose client data without your consent unless legally required.
(e.) Incident Response and Data Breaches
In the event of a data breach affecting client websites, I will:
- Notify you as promptly as possible, generally within 24–72 hours of discovering the breach, though the timing may vary depending on when I become aware of the incident.
- Assess the breach’s scope and implement containment measures as swiftly as possible, recognizing that the complexity of certain breaches may influence the speed of containment.
- Provide recommendations to secure your website and prevent future breaches.
- Assist in the recovery and restoration of affected data where feasible.
Please note that while I will take all reasonable measures to maintain the security of your website, there may be situations where I am not immediately aware of a breach, such as when access is gained through the site owner’s admin credentials or due to security issues beyond my direct control (e.g., weak passwords or compromised third-party accounts). It is important for site owners to follow best security practices, including using strong passwords and monitoring their own accounts.
5. Data Retention
I retain personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy or as required by law.
- Website credentials and related data are retained for up to 30 days after the termination of a maintenance agreement unless you request otherwise.
- After this period, all sensitive data will be securely deleted.
6. Data Security Measures
I take reasonable measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction:
- Encryption During Transmission: Data is encrypted using 256-bit SSL/TLS encryption during transmission, ensuring secure data transfer between your device and my servers.
- Secure Storage of Credentials: Client credentials and sensitive information are securely stored in my Bitwarden™ vault, which employs end-to-end AES-256 encryption. This means that only I can access your data, and it is protected from unauthorized access at all times.
- Complex Passwords and Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): I utilize complex, unique passwords for all accounts and services, combined with two-factor authentication (2FA) to add an extra layer of security. This approach significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized access.
- Secure Form for Data Collection: I use a dedicated “🔐Secure Form” on my website to collect clients’ sensitive credentials and other data. This form encrypts data using AES-256 encryption before storing it in my WordPress database, ensuring that your information is protected both during transmission and at rest.
- Automatic Data Purging: To further safeguard your data, entries submitted through the Secure Form are automatically purged from the database after 72 hours. After submission, I review the data, securely store it in my Bitwarden vault, and then delete it from the database. If, for any reason, I do not manually delete the data, the system will automatically purge it after 72 hours.
- Secure Payment Processing: Payment information is processed through secure third-party providers that comply with industry standards for data protection, ensuring that your financial details are handled securely.
- Restricted Access: Access to personal data is restricted to authorized personnel only, minimizing the risk of unauthorized access or disclosure.
Please note that while I implement these security measures to protect your data, it’s also important for clients to follow best security practices, such as using strong passwords and monitoring their accounts, to further enhance data security.
7. Cookies
MBehnken.com uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience and analyze website usage.
Types of Cookies Used:
- Essential Cookies: Necessary for website functionality and security, such as maintaining your session and preferences.
- Analytics Cookies: Used by Google Analytics to collect anonymized data about site usage and how visitors interact with the site.
- Advertising Cookies: Set by third-party vendors, including Google, to serve targeted ads based on your prior visits to our website and other sites on the internet.
Third-Party Cookies and Advertising:
- Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a user’s prior visits to our website. Google’s use of the DART cookie enables it and its partners to serve ads to users based on their visit to our sites and/or other sites on the internet.
- Users may opt out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the advertising opt-out page. Alternatively, users can opt out of a third-party vendor’s use of cookies by visiting the Network Advertising Initiative opt-out page.
Managing Cookies:
- You may disable cookies through your browser settings at any time. Please note that blocking certain cookies may impact your experience on this website and others. Many cookies are used for website functionality, such as maintaining your session and preferences.
- In order to track website usage, MBehnken.com uses Google Analytics, which DOES NOT allow the collection of Personally Identifiable Information (PII); therefore, PII is not linked to the data collected by Google Analytics. For more information on how Google Analytics collects and processes data, please review Google’s Terms of Service and Safeguarding Policy.
- One feature used in Google Analytics is Demographics and Interest Reporting, which sets a third-party cookie on visitors’ browsers to provide data on users’ demographics and interests. If you prefer not to have this data collected, you can opt out using the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-On.
8. Third-Party Links
MBehnken.com contains links to other websites. Please be aware that MBehnken.com is not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. It is encouraged that visitors leaving MBehnken.com, read the privacy policies of each and every web site that collects personally identifiable information. This privacy policy applies solely to information collected by this website, MBehnken.com.
9. Your Rights and Choices
You have the right to:
- Access, correct, or delete your personal information.
- Withdraw consent for data processing at any time (where applicable).
- Opt out of marketing communications.
To exercise these rights, contact me through my Contact Page.
10. Changes to This Policy
I may update this Privacy Policy periodically. Any changes will be posted on this page with the updated effective date. Continued use of the site after changes constitutes acceptance of the new policy.
11. Contact Information
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how I handle your data, please contact me through my Contact Page.
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