Compliance & Security

SafeRag is designed with privacy and compliance in mind. Learn about GDPR and HIPAA compliance features, audit logging, and data security.

Why Local Processing Matters

SafeRag processes all data locally on your Mac. This architecture provides significant compliance benefits:

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No Data Transfer

Your data never leaves your computer. No cloud servers, no third-party processors.

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Data Residency

Data stays exactly where you want it - on your Mac, in your jurisdiction.

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Full Control

You control all data lifecycle - storage, retention, and deletion.

Compliance Dashboard

SafeRag includes a Compliance Dashboard that shows your current compliance status for GDPR and HIPAA.

Compliance dashboard
View GDPR and HIPAA compliance status

Accessing the Dashboard

Open the Compliance section from the sidebar. You'll see status cards for:

  • GDPR Compliance - European data protection requirements
  • HIPAA Compliance - US healthcare data requirements

GDPR Compliance

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies to organizations handling EU residents' personal data. SafeRag helps you comply with key GDPR requirements:

Article 5: Data Processing Principles

Principle How SafeRag Helps
Lawfulness Data stays local - no third-party processing
Data Minimization Retention policies automatically delete old data
Storage Limitation Configurable retention periods
Integrity Local storage with macOS security

Article 15: Right of Access

Data subjects have the right to access their personal data. SafeRag Pro includes a data export feature:

📦 Data Export Pro
Export all user data as a JSON file, including chat history, documents, and account information. This fulfills GDPR Article 15 data access requests.

Article 17: Right to Erasure

Data subjects can request deletion of their data. In SafeRag:

  • Delete individual chat sessions
  • Delete uploaded documents
  • Delete entire user accounts (Admin)
  • Use retention policies for automatic deletion

HIPAA Compliance

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protects sensitive patient health information. SafeRag's architecture supports HIPAA compliance:

Key HIPAA Safeguards

Safeguard How SafeRag Helps
Access Controls Multi-user mode with authentication
Audit Controls Complete audit logging of all activities
Transmission Security No transmission - data stays local
Integrity Controls Local storage with backups
⚠ Important Note
While SafeRag provides technical safeguards, HIPAA compliance requires organizational policies and procedures beyond software features. Consult with a compliance professional for complete HIPAA compliance.

Audit Logging Pro

SafeRag Pro includes comprehensive audit logging that records all significant activities.

What's Logged

  • User Activities - Login, logout, session creation
  • Document Operations - Upload, delete, access
  • Admin Actions - User creation, role changes, password resets
  • System Events - Errors, warnings, configuration changes
Audit logs view
Review audit logs for compliance

Log Details

Each audit log entry includes:

  • Timestamp - When the event occurred
  • Event Type - Category of the event
  • Severity - Info, Warning, Error, or Critical
  • User - Who performed the action
  • Details - Additional context

Filtering Logs

Use filters to find specific events:

  • Filter by event type
  • Filter by severity level
  • Search by keyword
  • Navigate with pagination

Data Export Pro

Export all user data for compliance requests or backup purposes.

How to Export Data

Open Compliance Section

Navigate to the Compliance area from the sidebar.

Click Export Data

Find and click the Export All Data button.

Choose Location

Select where to save the exported JSON file.

Review Export

The JSON file contains all user data including chat history and documents.

Export Contents

The export file includes:

  • User profile information
  • All chat sessions and messages
  • Uploaded document metadata
  • Account settings

Security Features

Local Storage

All SafeRag data is stored locally on your Mac:

~/Library/Application Support/SafeRag

This location benefits from macOS security features including:

  • FileVault encryption (if enabled)
  • App Sandbox restrictions
  • macOS Gatekeeper verification

Authentication

In Multi-User mode:

  • Password-protected accounts
  • Password strength requirements
  • Recovery codes for account recovery

No Network Dependencies

SafeRag functions entirely offline after initial setup. The only network activity is:

  • Downloading AI models from Ollama's registry
  • Optional crash reporting (if enabled)

Compliance Best Practices

💡 Enable Retention Policies
Set appropriate retention periods to avoid keeping data longer than necessary. This supports data minimization principles.
💡 Regular Backups
Enable automatic backups and include the SafeRag data folder in your backup strategy.
💡 Use Multi-User Mode
For organizations, families, and teams sharing a computer, use Multi-User mode to maintain separate user accounts and audit trails.
💡 Enable FileVault
Enable macOS FileVault for full-disk encryption. This adds an additional layer of protection for all local data.

Next Steps

👥 Admin Guide ⚙ Settings