Grass Puts Privacy & Security First

TL;DR: At Grass, we provide our users with the opportunity to take back control over their unused internet bandwidth. For over a decade, bad actors have been utilizing peoples’ internet bandwidth without their knowledge, including through applications and screensavers downloaded from the Internet or placed on their devices. We view privacy and cybersecurity as foundational elements that are necessary for the success and proliferation of our network, products, and community. We have established world class cybersecurity measures for our network and products in collaboration with industry leaders that include Avast, Microsoft Defender, McAfee, and AVG. We also contribute to the development of cybersecurity standards through our participation in the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization (AMTSO) alongside partners such as Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) and Nord Security.

Foundational Principles - Privacy and Security

To establish and maintain trust within our community, it is important that our users understand the steps that we take to operate transparently and to protect their privacy and security. 

Privacy 

In our view, privacy starts with ensuring we request only the personal information necessary to operate our network, products, services, while providing the community with rewards. Personal information is limited to a user’s email address, username, password*, public digital wallet address, referral code and IP address. All information is securely stored. We do not sell our users’ personal information. You can learn more about our personal information handling practices in our Privacy Policy. Our focus on the importance of data privacy and limiting use of personal information sharply contrasts with the approach taken by other types of extensions and applications. See a comparison in the chart below demonstrating the limited nature of our personal information handling practices relative to other types of common extensions and applications:

In addition, we cannot access and do not make any use of your browsing history. The only non-personal information that we collect is your operating system type, application IDs, the type and version of your browser, and crash data and analytics. This information is only used to support your participation in the Grass network. 

Like most websites, we use optional Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity Cookies on GetGrass.io to help us improve the website. You are free to turn these off in the Cookie Settings on our website. The only cookie you are not permitted to turn off is the Essential Grass Cookie that is used to authenticate requests on the Grass dashboard, allowing the display of personalized rewards. To learn more about the cookies that we use on GetGrass.io, see our Cookie Policy.

Security

Internally, we use bandwidth encryption to ensure that all users are protected while sharing their internet connection. We also work with AppEsteem, a leading cybersecurity compliance auditor, who monitors our products 24/7, 365 days per year. AppEsteem reviews our products for vulnerabilities, leaks, backdoors, and malware to ensure that they are safe and secure before they ever reach our users. We are proud to share that we have successfully integrated with AppEsteem and achieved the AppEsteem certification that evidences our commitment to security. The AppEsteem certification is highly regarded in the cybersecurity industry and earning it means that our products are also whitelisted by top anti-malware applications, including Avast, Microsoft Defender, McAfee, AVG, and many more.

We make every effort to stay up to date on the latest developments in cybersecurity and are at the forefront in helping to advance anti-malware solutions. We are a proud contributor to the AMTSO, which is doing incredible work in bringing together leading cybersecurity industry experts, including CSA and Nord Security, to knowledge share and collaborate on issues that will make the digital world a safer place. By working alongside these leaders, Grass helps to shape and uphold the rigorous standards that are necessary to keep our, and the broader digital world, safe.  

Conclusion 

In our journey to reclaim control of the internet, it's imperative that we all continue going above and beyond to respect everyone's privacy and keep the community safe. We’re looking forward to seeing what we can continue to accomplish together.

*Password is only collected and used to permit users to sign-in. The password is hashed so that it is not visible to our team or anyone else.