Effective Date: May 22, 2025
Who We Are
Our website address is: https://compsecdirect.com. We are committed to safeguarding the privacy of our website visitors and users. This policy outlines how we collect, use, and protect your information.
Comments
When visitors leave comments, we collect the data shown in the comments form, the visitor’s IP address, and browser user agent string to help detect spam.
An anonymized string (hash) of your email address may be shared with the Gravatar service to display your avatar. Gravatar’s privacy policy is available at: https://automattic.com/privacy. Upon comment approval, your profile picture is visible to the public in the context of your comment.
Media
If you upload images, please ensure they do not contain embedded location data (EXIF GPS). Visitors may download and extract such data from images on the site.
Cookies
We use cookies to improve your experience. These include:
- Comment cookies to remember your information (name, email, website) for one year.
- Session cookies when visiting our login page to check browser compatibility (deleted when you close your browser).
- Login cookies that last 2 days (or 2 weeks with “Remember Me”).
- Screen preference cookies retained for 1 year.
- Post-edit cookies for article publication (expire after 1 day).
You can control and delete cookies through your browser settings.
Embedded Content from Other Websites
Articles may include embedded content (e.g., videos, images, articles). These third-party websites may collect your data, use cookies, and track your interaction with embedded content, especially if you are logged in to those platforms.
Who We Share Your Data With
We do not sell or rent your personal data.
We may disclose your data:
- To service providers strictly for site operation (e.g., hosting, spam detection).
- When legally required to do so (e.g., court orders, legal claims).
- To enforce our rights or protect the security of our users.
How Long We Retain Your Data
- Comments and their metadata are retained indefinitely.
- Registered users’ profile data is stored as long as the account remains active.
- Log data and analytics are retained no longer than necessary for security and operational purposes.
Your Data Rights
You have the following rights under U.S. state privacy laws (e.g., CCPA, CPRA, VCDPA, and others):
- Access: Request a copy of your personal data.
- Correction: Request corrections to inaccurate or incomplete data.
- Deletion: Request that we erase your data, except where legally required.
- Opt-Out: You may opt-out of certain data sharing or targeted advertising.
- Portability: Request transfer of your data to another entity (where technically feasible).
To make a request, write to us at C/O Privacy PO BOX 171, Odenton, MD, 21113. We will respond within 90 days.
Children’s Privacy
Our website is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If we learn that we have collected data from a child without verification of parental consent, we will delete it promptly.
Do Not Track Signals
Our site does not respond to “Do Not Track” signals from web browsers.
Security of Your Information
We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your data. This includes HTTPS encryption, regular security patches, and limited access to personal data.
Where We Send Your Data
Visitor comments may be scanned through automated spam detection services. Data is processed on servers located in the United States.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. Continued use of our site constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.
Contact Information
For questions about this privacy policy or to exercise your rights, contact us at:
Email: privacy[@]compsecdirect[.]com
Postal Address: PO BOX 171, Odenton, MD, 21113