The Security Behind the API: How We Protect Your Hiring Data

In the world of modern recruitment, speed and efficiency are paramount. Automating tasks like reference checks is no longer a luxury but a necessity for scaling teams. But as we embrace hiring automation, a critical question arises: How do we protect the highly sensitive candidate and reference data that flows through these systems?

At reference.do, we believe that trust is the cornerstone of any successful hiring process. When you integrate our background verification API into your workflow, you're not just getting speed; you're getting a security-first partner committed to safeguarding your data. Security isn't an add-on—it's built into the very core of our platform.

Let's pull back the curtain and explore the key pillars that make our automated reference checks secure, compliant, and reliable.

1. Ironclad Encryption: Locking Down Data in Transit and at Rest

The moment you send a request to our API, a chain of data protection measures kicks in. We employ a dual-layered encryption strategy to ensure your information is unreadable to unauthorized parties at every stage.

• Encryption in Transit: All communication between your system (like an ATS) and the reference.do API, as well as communication with the references themselves, is protected using industry-standard Transport Layer Security (TLS). Think of this as a sealed, armored vehicle transporting your data across the internet. It prevents eavesdropping and ensures the integrity of the information being sent and received.

• Encryption at Rest: Once the data reaches our servers—be it candidate details, reference feedback, or the final report—it isn't just stored in a vault; it's scrambled. We use robust encryption algorithms to protect all data at rest. This means that even in the highly unlikely event of a physical breach of our servers, the data would remain indecipherable.

2. Compliance by Design: Navigating GDPR, CCPA, and More

Navigating the complex web of global data privacy regulations is a major challenge in HR tech. That's why we didn't just patch our system for compliance; we designed it from the ground up with regulations like GDPR and CCPA in mind.

Our reference checking software is architected to support your compliance needs:

• Explicit Consent: Workflows are designed to capture clear and explicit consent from both candidates and their references before any data is collected.
• Data Minimization: We only collect the information necessary to perform the reference check, adhering to the principle of data minimization.
• Data Subject Rights: Our API provides the necessary endpoints to help you fulfill data subject requests, such as the right to access or the right to be forgotten, seamlessly from your own system.

By using reference.do, you integrate a process that respects privacy and helps you meet your legal obligations effortlessly.

3. Secure API Architecture and Access Control

An API is a gateway to your data, and we treat it with the seriousness it deserves. Access to the reference.do API is strictly controlled and monitored.

• Authenticated Access: Every request to our API must be authenticated using unique, secure API keys. This ensures that only authorized applications can interact with your account.
• Robust Infrastructure: We follow secure software development lifecycle (SSDLC) practices, including regular code reviews, dependency scanning, and third-party penetration testing to identify and patch potential vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.
• Least Privilege Principle: Our system is built on the principle of least privilege, meaning internal access to data is strictly limited to what is necessary for maintaining and improving the service.

4. Process Integrity: Ensuring Fair and Unbiased Screening

Data security is about more than just preventing breaches; it's also about ensuring the integrity and fairness of the candidate screening process itself.

Manual reference checks are often inconsistent and prone to unconscious bias. By structuring the process through our API, we introduce a level of objectivity that benefits everyone.

• Standardized Questions: You can create custom, role-specific question templates via the API, ensuring every reference for a given position answers the same questions. This creates a level playing field for all candidates.
• Structured Data: As seen in our JSON output, feedback is collected in a structured format. This provides clear, comparable data points (like ratings and specific examples) rather than vague, subjective notes from a phone call. This not only makes analysis easier but also reduces the risk of misinterpretation or biased recording.

Hire with Confidence and Security

Choosing a hiring automation tool is a significant decision. You're entrusting a partner with your company’s reputation and your candidates' personal information.

At reference.do, we've built our platform on a foundation of robust security, thoughtful compliance, and process integrity. We handle the complexities of secure and automated reference verification so you can focus on what you do best: finding and hiring exceptional talent.

Ready to transform your reference checking process with a secure, reliable API? Explore our documentation or contact us today to learn more.