> ## Knowledge Base Index > Fetch the complete knowledge base index at: https://help.modulards.com/sitemap.xml > Use this file to discover available pages before exploring further. > Pure-Markdown content can be obtained by appending a '.md' suffix to the content URLs listed in the sitemap (without the trailing slash). # How secure are Modular DS backups Is it safe to store your backups, and your clients' backups, in an external tool? It's a fair question when you manage sites in production and recovering an entire project depends on those copies. A backup contains the full website, its files and its database, so it can include personal data belonging to your client's end users. At Modular DS we treat it accordingly: backups are encrypted both in transit and at rest, and they can only be accessed through our permission system. ## Encryption in transit When a backup is created, the file is encrypted while it travels. The transfer happens over HTTPS, so **the data stays protected along the entire route** from your server to storage. To move the file, Modular DS generates a short-lived presigned URL, valid for only five minutes, that uploads the backup directly from your web server to AWS S3 (Amazon Web Services). This has an important consequence: your backups **never pass through Modular DS servers**. The file goes straight from your site to encrypted storage, with no intermediate stops. ## Encryption at rest Once stored, backups remain encrypted. Server-side encryption is applied with rotating keys managed by AWS S3, so the stored copies are never exposed as readable text. ## Where your backups are stored Your backups are stored on AWS cloud infrastructure, and you can [choose the region where they're stored](https://help.modulards.com/en/article/where-your-backups-are-stored-and-how-to-change-the-region-g7h2kc/) from Ireland, N. Virginia (USA) and Singapore. You can even assign a different region to each site's backups. ## Who can access your backups Access to stored backups is restricted across several layers: * **Private storage.** Backups are kept in a fully private AWS S3 bucket with no public access. There's no direct URL to a backup, so there's no way to reach one without going through our permission system. * **Access only through temporary links.** To download or restore a backup, our API generates a presigned read link that is temporary and expires. There are no permanent or public links to the files. * **Per-user and per-site permissions.** That link is only generated for an authenticated user with permissions for the site in question. No one can request or download backups for sites they don't have access to. * **Restricted internal access.** On our side, direct access to storage is limited to a small, designated group from our development team, through SSO. It's not general team access. ## What happens when you delete a backup When you delete a backup, it is permanently removed from storage. Deletion can take up to 72 hours to complete. After that point, the copy no longer exists in our systems. ## Your account security matters too Since access to a backup is only granted to authenticated users with permissions, protecting your account is part of keeping your backups secure. A well-protected account is the first barrier against unwanted access. That's why we recommend [enabling 2FA login](https://help.modulards.com/en/article/how-to-activate-2fa-login-on-your-account-1r27z96/) on your account, especially if you manage client sites. ## Data protection and GDPR If you need to formalize the processing of personal data, we have a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) available on request. To request it, or for any more detailed security review, email us at [help@modulards.com](mailto:help@modulards.com) and we'll help you. ## Related articles * [Where your backups are stored and how to change the region](https://help.modulards.com/en/article/where-your-backups-are-stored-and-how-to-change-the-region-g7h2kc/) * [Backup retention policy](https://help.modulards.com/en/article/backup-retention-policy-ptu8sc/) * [How to restore a backup in Modular DS](https://help.modulards.com/en/article/how-to-restore-a-backup-in-modular-ds-9sbsus/) * [How to download a backup](https://help.modulards.com/en/article/how-to-download-a-backup-6dh3u/) --- Do you need help with anything else? Email us at [help@modulards.com](mailto:help@modulards.com) or contact us via the support chat, and we'll be happy to help you.