Security & Privacy Overview

How GhostSweep Protects Your Data

GhostSweep maps your digital footprint without reading the content of your emails. This page explains exactly what we can access, what we store, and how you stay in control.

No email content

We only use metadata (From, Subject, Date) to detect accounts and breaches. Email bodies and attachments stay in Gmail.

Read-only OAuth

GhostSweep cannot send, delete, or modify emails. You can revoke access at any time from your Google account.

Minimal storage

We store only what’s needed for your dashboard: detected services, breach matches, and privacy request status.

Core Principle: Metadata In, Content Out

GhostSweep analyzes sender addresses, subject lines, and timestamps to detect accounts and breaches. We don’t read the body of your emails or download attachments. That’s a hard line, not a marketing line.

We never store full email bodies.
We never send emails on your behalf.
You can disconnect and wipe scan data anytime.

Exactly What GhostSweep Can Access

These permissions are granted via Google OAuth and constrained by read-only scopes.

What we access (via Gmail)

When you connect Gmail, you grant read-only access through OAuth. We cannot see or change your Google password.

Gmail metadata we use

  • Sender addresses (who sent the email)
  • Subject lines (“Welcome”, “Verify your email”, etc.)
  • Dates, timestamps, and basic labels

What we do with it

  • Detect services from account, receipt, and verification emails
  • Match your accounts against known breach databases
  • Track replies to your privacy/deletion requests

What we never access

These restrictions are enforced by Google’s scopes and our own architecture.

  • Email content

    We don’t read the body of your emails.

  • Attachments

    Files, images, and documents remain in your inbox.

  • Sending / deleting mail

    We can’t send, delete, or modify messages.

  • Advertising or resale

    We don’t sell, rent, or share your data with advertisers.

What We Store (and What We Don’t)

We store only the minimum needed to power your dashboard.

Stored in GhostSweep

  • Account profile

    Your email and basic account settings.

  • Connected Gmail address

    So we know which inbox we’re scanning.

  • Detected services

    Service name, domain, category, and basic activity dates.

  • Breach matches

    Which services were in public breaches and when.

  • Privacy / deletion requests

    Template usage and status so you can track responses.

Never stored

  • Email bodies

    The content of your emails never leaves Gmail.

  • Attachments and files

    No images, PDFs, or documents are copied to our servers.

  • Google passwords

    Authentication is handled by OAuth.

  • Raw mailbox exports

    We don’t keep full mailbox backups or bulk exports.

When you disconnect Gmail, we delete your connection and the associated scan data (services, breaches, events) from GhostSweep.

How We Secure GhostSweep Itself

Encryption, infrastructure, and access controls.

Encryption

  • OAuth tokens encrypted with AES-256-GCM.
  • All traffic over HTTPS / TLS 1.3.
  • Database encrypted at rest.

Infrastructure

  • Managed Postgres for persistence.
  • Restricted admin access.
  • Audit trails for scan operations.

Access control

  • Read-only Gmail scopes only.
  • Backend-only access to sensitive data.
  • No third-party selling or ad tracking.

Third-Party Services We Rely On

Trusted vendors that help us run GhostSweep.

Google

Gmail API and OAuth authentication for read-only access.

Stripe

Handles all payment data. We never see card numbers.

Hosting / Infra

Vercel (frontend) plus managed database infrastructure.

These providers are not allowed to use your data for advertising or resell it.

Your Rights & Control

GhostSweep is designed so you can easily disconnect, delete, or export your data.

Disconnect anytime

Revoke Gmail access from GhostSweep or directly from your Google account settings.

Delete your data

Request account deletion and we’ll remove your scan data and profile from our systems.

Export your data

Download your detected services, breaches, and request history for your own records.

Email preferences

Control breach alerts and product emails where supported.

Verify our permissions yourself

You don’t have to take our word for it. You can see exactly what access GhostSweep has and review the core scanning logic.

You control access from your Google account, and our scanning logic is visible on GitHub.

Report a security or privacy issue

If you believe you’ve found a vulnerability or privacy issue in GhostSweep, please contact us directly. We take security reports seriously and respond as quickly as we can.

GhostSweep exists to give you visibility and control over where your data lives—not to become another data risk. If anything on this page is unclear, email support@ghostsweep.com and we’ll clarify.