How do I know if the data apps I use are secure?

Transportation apps may make it easier and more efficient to get to the school bus, but do they also make our lives safer? School administrators, parents, and transportation directors are now paying attention to the security aspects of apps, not only on the “backend” data transfer side but on the “real world” physical side, as well. The worldwide standard for secure information handling — known as Service Organization Control 2, or SOC2 — marks one of the highest security achievements in the education industry.

Developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the SOC2 certification looks for secure handling of data based on five “trust service principles”: availability, confidentiality, privacy, processing integrity, and security. The SafeStop school bus tracking app, which is the only bus tracking app in the industry that meets SOC2 compliance, was audited by an independent third party company that reviewed infrastructure, software, people, procedures, and data at the SafeStop corporate offices and data centers.

SafeStop achieves all five SOC2 principles in a way that keeps parents’ information safe and helps administrators manage accounts securely.

1. Availability: The app is available for use as agreed on by parents who download it — meaning, SafeStop has a Terms & Conditions statement to keep parents safe.

2. Confidentiality: The information that is confidential, such as student data, is protected. As part of the certification, SafeStop exceeded the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) review, which keeps student education records secure according to federal law.

3. Privacy: Personal information such as names, credit card information, and financial data is used only as strictly needed for the app. SafeStop ensures that information is never sold or distributed to outside parties for any reason.

4. Processing integrity: The app processes information completely, accurately, timely, and in an authorized manner. Both on the technical side of the app and in the physical office where SafeStop employees manage accounts, personal information is received and stored in a secure manner in the day-to-day management of the app.

5. Security: The app is protected against unauthorized access, both physical and digital. School administrators and transportation directors are assured that the technical backend and SafeStop Analytics platforms are secure against data breaches.

Whether you are a parent using the SafeStop app to track your children going to and from school, or a school administrator or transportation professional using SafeStop Analytics to improve routing and fleet efficiency, you can be assured that SafeStop not only keeps your students safe, but we keep your critical data and personal information safe, too.

Want to learn more about how the SafeStop app and our analytics platform can make your life safer, and easier? Request a demo and talk to one of our experts today.