Most people think security is something only techies talk about – with big dashboards, strange abbreviations, and very serious-looking engineers who survive purely on coffee.
But for us at ADDA, security is much closer to the daily life of a housing community.
It’s like running a clean, well-managed apartment complex.
You don’t think about security only when something goes wrong.
You think about it every day.
ADDA handles the most personal information a family shares anywhere online — home address, phone numbers, staff entries, visitor logs, vehicles, payments, emergency calls. When data is this sensitive, shortcuts simply cannot exist.
Which is why, even back in 2009, when data privacy wasn’t even a conversation in India, ADDA already had the mindset of:
“If this belongs to a home, it will be treated like a home.”
Let’s walk through the concrete, practical, non-jargony practices that ADDA has followed for over a decade — and why they matter.
Table of Contents
1. Encryption Everywhere — Like a Trusted Community Gatekeeper
If ADDA’s data were a building, encryption would be the gatekeeper who checks everything properly, doesn’t get distracted by WhatsApp, and definitely does not allow random people inside.
ADDA uses encrypted communication between:
- The Resident App
- The Gatekeeper App
- The Admin App
- The Web Portal
Everything travels through secure HTTPS with verified SSL certificates. All the pages are 256-bit SSL encrypted (SHA-256 with RSA Encryption). This ensures that the username password, or any post that is made on ADDA, cannot be eavesdropped. Passwords and PII are encrypted so that even if hacked are not readable.
In simpler terms:
If someone tries to intercept the data mid-route, they see nothing useful. Only scrambled nonsense — like trying to read a grocery list written by a toddler.
Why this matters:
- Prevents eavesdropping.
Imagine someone trying to overhear a conversation between two people speaking in a secret code. That’s what encryption does. - Protects even on public WiFi.
Even if a resident uses café WiFi, their data is still unreadable to others. - Prevents data tampering.
It’s like sealing a courier package with tamper-proof wax.
2. No External Surfing Inside the App — Your Community, Your Walls
One of the quiet but very important security choices ADDA made long ago is this: when you’re inside the ADDA app, you stay inside the ADDA app. There are no surprise redirects, no buttons that suddenly open a random website, and no “sponsored links” that take you outside the safe environment of the platform. It’s deliberately built like a gated community. You can walk around your own blocks comfortably, but you won’t accidentally wander into an unknown neighbourhood.
This may feel like a small detail, but it plays a massive role in keeping residents safe. When people use ADDA, they are dealing with announcements, payments, visitor entries, amenity bookings and staff-related information. These things need a controlled, predictable environment. Allowing external browsing inside the app would be like adding a back gate to your apartment complex that anyone could walk through. It’s unnecessary, risky and defeats the purpose of a gated space.
Here’s why this design choice matters so much:
- It reduces exposure to risky or unknown websites because residents never get pushed outside the ADDA ecosystem. When you click something, you can be sure it’s been designed, reviewed and secured by the ADDA team instead of landing on a webpage that could have trackers, ads or even malicious content.
- It prevents phishing-style redirections, which have become very common. Many frauds today happen not because people purposely open something unsafe, but because they get redirected unknowingly. Keeping residents strictly within the app removes that entire category of risk.
- It maintains the integrity of the communication environment.
A community app should feel like your society clubhouse — clean, familiar, well-lit, and never confusing. The moment you start mixing external browsing, you break that sense of trust and predictability. ADDA avoids that completely. - It keeps the app focused on its actual purpose.
Residents open ADDA to check dues, book amenities, raise helpdesk tickets or read notices. They don’t need distractions. Think of it like a society meeting — the fewer unrelated interruptions, the better everyone’s experience.
This is the kind of small-but-powerful design discipline that keeps the community’s digital environment safe. No chaos, no wandering, no detours — just the comfort of knowing that everything you see inside the app is meant for you and has been vetted with your safety in mind.
3. Sensitive Data Stored Only Inside the Device — Like Keeping Valuables in a Locked Cupboard, Not on the Living Room Table
One thing ADDA has always been very particular about is where your personal data lives on your phone. A surprising number of apps store sensitive information in open or shared folders on the device, where other apps, or even malware, can quietly peek in. ADDA takes the opposite approach. It stores your private data only inside secure, sandboxed areas of the device that no other app can casually access.
The easiest way to visualise this is to think of your home. You wouldn’t leave jewellery, passports or property papers lying on the dining table where anyone walking in could see them. You keep them in a cupboard, behind a lock, sometimes even inside a locker. ADDA follows the same principle. Your data stays in a digital “locker” inside your phone — not in open, accessible places.
This matters a lot more than people realise, especially with how many apps today quietly request access to storage, media and files. ADDA avoids that entire risk category by design.
Here’s why this approach protects residents in a very real way:
- Other apps cannot snoop into ADDA’s data, even if those apps have broad storage permissions. Android apps live in their own walled gardens, and ADDA uses that architecture the safest way possible. This means even apps that you accidentally installed or forgot about cannot access your ADDA information.
- If a resident uninstalls ADDA, all local data is wiped automatically, leaving no breadcrumbs behind. This prevents situations where leftover files remain on the phone, which could later be accessed by unrelated apps or malware. It ensures that uninstalling is a clean break, not a partial exit.
- Sensitive information like visitor entries, staff records or payment details never linger in weakly protected areas, such as shared folders. Many apps take shortcuts here for convenience, but ADDA refuses to compromise. It’s the difference between locking your valuables in a cupboard versus keeping them in a drawer that anyone can open.
- Even if the device is compromised, sandboxing reduces the damage.
While no system can fully protect data on a hacked device, ADDA’s approach ensures the attacker must break into a sealed vault rather than picking something up from the floor.
In simple terms, ADDA treats your personal data the same way you would treat important household documents — stored securely, out of reach of curious apps, and always cleaned up when no longer needed. It’s small details like this that build long-term trust between communities and the software they rely on.
4. Minimal Permissions — ADDA Believes in “Only What’s Needed, Nothing Extra”
Almost everyone in India has had that moment where an app suddenly asks for a permission that makes you freeze for a second:
“Why does this game want access to my contacts?”
“Why does this bill-payment app want my microphone?”
“Why does this simple tool want full access to my files?”
It feels intrusive, and honestly, a little shady. ADDA has always taken a very deliberate stand against this. The guiding principle is straightforward: If the app does not absolutely need permission to do its job, the app will not ask for it. Period.
Think of permissions like spare keys. If you give too many copies to too many people, you eventually forget who has what. The fewer keys you hand out, the fewer chances of something going wrong. ADDA avoids unnecessary permissions so residents never have to wonder, “Why is this app asking for this?”
Here’s why that matters in real life:
- Minimal permissions act as a natural safety shield, because the app simply does not gain access to areas of your phone that it has no business entering. Even if a vulnerability exists in your device, ADDA has fewer “doors” through which anything can go wrong.
- Residents feel more comfortable using the app, because nothing feels suspicious or out of place. When an app behaves like a well-mannered guest — staying in the living room, not roaming around the bedrooms — trust builds automatically.
- It reduces the chance of accidental data exposure, because unnecessary permissions often act as unintended leak points. Many people don’t realise this, but one wrong permission can allow an unrelated app to start reading or modifying things it should not.
- It makes the app more predictable and transparent, which is important for community data. Residents know that ADDA is using only what is absolutely required for visitor entry, payments, bookings, notices and communication — and not trying to quietly collect anything extra.
This approach may sound simple, but it’s the result of years of discipline. Building features while keeping permissions tight is harder than it looks. But ADDA chooses the harder path because it aligns with one core belief: a community app should behave with the same respect you’d expect from someone entering your home. No overstepping. No unnecessary access. No surprises.
5. Monthly VAPT and Annual Security Audits — Like Regular Health Check-ups for the App
A lot of companies talk about security, but only a few actually test it seriously and consistently. ADDA does both. Every single month, the internal security team puts the system through a Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Test. Then, once a year, an external cybersecurity expert takes another deep dive.
It’s very similar to how responsible people get their health check-ups done. Monthly tests catch the everyday issues early. Annual specialists confirm everything is still strong. This layered approach ensures that even small cracks get sealed before they turn into anything serious.
Why this is important for communities:
- Security problems don’t get a chance to grow quietly.
Just like you wouldn’t wait for a cough to become pneumonia, ADDA doesn’t wait for small bugs to turn into threats. - External audits keep us honest, disciplined and up-to-date.
A third party ensures we never fall into the trap of “We know everything.” In security, overconfidence is the biggest enemy. - Residents get peace of mind knowing the app isn’t resting on old foundations.
With monthly testing, the system stays fresh, patched, and ready.
6. Strict and Logged Server Access — Only a Handful of People Have the Keys
Imagine your community had only two or three master keys that unlock every door, and each use is recorded on CCTV. That’s exactly how ADDA treats server access. Only security-trained engineers can access backend environments, and every single action they take gets logged.
On top of that, engineers do not directly log into the production machines. They go through a secure, central access system that records everything. Nothing happens in the dark.
This level of discipline matters because:
- It dramatically reduces the risk of accidental or intentional misuse.
When only a few trained people have access, the chances of carelessness drop sharply. - Everything leaves a trace, so accountability is built-in.
Just knowing that every action is logged automatically creates caution and responsibility. - Communities don’t need to worry about “who touched what.”
The system keeps track of that better than any human ever could.
7. Daily and Monthly Backups — And Yes, We Actually Practice the Recovery
Most companies proudly say, “We take regular backups,” the same way people say, “I have a gym membership.” Both statements sound nice, but the real question is: Do you actually use it? And does it work when needed?
This is where ADDA truly stands apart. Not only does ADDA take backups — daily for critical data and monthly for everything else — but the team actually performs mock recovery drills to make sure those backups can be restored quickly and cleanly during a real emergency. Think of it like society fire drills. You don’t wait for a real fire to learn where the extinguisher is.
Here are some of the real-world moments when backups become genuinely important:
- When a community admin accidentally deletes or overwrites important data, such as maintenance entries or resident records. Mistakes happen — especially when multiple people are managing large datasets. Backups ensure the community does not lose valuable information because of one accidental click.
- If data gets corrupted due to a cyberattack or malware at the user’s end, for example, when a compromised device pushes bad data into the system. ADDA can restore the latest clean snapshot and keep everything intact.
- During unexpected regional disruptions, such as power outages, fibre cuts or natural events that affect connectivity and data flow. Even if a sudden interruption causes incomplete or inconsistent records, backups help restore the correct version.
Residents benefit because:
- Even unexpected situations don’t lead to lost data.
Your society’s past records, payments, and entries can be restored even if something breaks. - Recovery is fast — usually between five minutes to a few hours.
Most apps take days to recover from big issues. ADDA makes sure communities don’t suffer long downtime. - Backups are stored in secure AWS systems with strong protections.
So even if something odd happens in one part of the world, your data still stays safe.
Because ADDA tests its backup recovery regularly, communities never face the panic of “What if our data is gone?” The system already knows how to bring everything back smoothly and quickly.
In a community’s digital life, backups are not a technical luxury. They are the quiet, dependable safety net that steps in when life throws surprises — and ADDA treats that responsibility with the seriousness it deserves.
8. Business Continuity Planning — Because Hope Is Not a Strategy
ADDA follows a well-documented Business Continuity Plan (BCP) that clearly lays out what the team should do during any unexpected situation — whether it’s a regional disruption, a technical outage, a natural event or even a sudden spike in activity.
Think of it like preparing a society’s emergency manual, where everyone knows who handles water issues, who handles electricians, who handles AGM disputes, who handles visitor chaos during Diwali. Except this is happening on the digital side.
Here’s why BCP matters so much in the real world:
- If a major regional disruption happens, such as floods, city-wide outages or extreme weather, ADDA has alternate operating procedures and fallback systems so communication and essential features continue without leaving communities stranded.
- If a key team member is suddenly unavailable, the responsibility does not fall into chaos. Every critical function has documented successors, trained specifically so there is no dependency on any single individual.
- If a component of the system needs temporary isolation or maintenance, the continuity plan ensures other parts continue to function smoothly. Residents still receive notices, admins still manage tasks and security still operates.
Communities benefit because:
- ADDA remains functional even if something unexpected affects a team or infrastructure.
The app doesn’t “freeze” because someone is on leave or a server needs maintenance. - Residents don’t experience panic or uncertainty in critical times.
Communication continues, payments work, service requests get handled. - The company stays resilient regardless of scale or geography.
Whether it’s India, UAE or the US, the processes stay consistent.
The real value of BCP is not in its documents, but in the mindset: ADDA assumes that disruptions can happen and prepares before they do. This means communities don’t experience confusion or silence during moments when stability matters the most.
Business continuity is essentially ADDA saying,
“We are here with you even when things are not normal.”
9. Hosting on AWS — With Global-Grade Security and Local Compliance
ADDA uses Amazon Web Services (AWS), which is basically the skyscraper of cloud hosting: modern, guarded and built with industrial-strength protections.
Data can be hosted in India, Singapore, UAE or the US based on regulatory needs. This matters because different countries have different data laws, and ADDA complies with all.
Communities benefit because:
- AWS already has world-class physical and digital security.
Data is protected like gold in a vault. - Local hosting keeps you compliant with region-specific laws.
Especially important for UAE and India. - Redundant systems ensure high uptime.
Even if one server region hiccups, another takes over.
Details of AWS Security Platform
- Infrastructure Security
AWS provides several security capabilities and services to increase privacy and control network access. These include:
- Network firewalls built into Amazon VPC, and web application firewall capabilities in AWS WAF
- Encryption in transit with TLS across all services
- DDoS Mitigation
Availability is of paramount importance in the cloud. ADDA uses AWS services and technologies built from the ground up to provide resilience in the face of DDoS attacks.
- Data Encryption
Through AWS an extra layer of encryption is added to ADDA data.
- Inventory & Configuration
ADDA uses Security Assessment services provided by AWS like Amazon Inspector, for getting reports on vulnerabilities. Inventory and configuration tools like AWS Config are used to maintain and track changes properly and removing chances of security leaks
- Monitoring & Logging
ADDA constantly uses automated tools like AWS Config and AWS CloudTrail for validating compliance. We have also set up deep visibility into API calls, including who, what, when, and from where calls were made, log aggregation and options, streamlined investigation processes, compliance reporting & alert notification infrastructure; which ensures highest security for all ADDA data.
10. Human-Driven QA and Pilot Testing — No Release Goes Out Blindly
Before any major update goes live, ADDA runs internal pilot tests, followed by human QA. This ensures the product feels good not just technically, but also practically — like something residents and MCs would genuinely enjoy using.
This is similar to when a society tests the new water pump before announcing that everything is fixed. You check first, announce later.
Here’s why communities love this approach:
- Updates feel stable and predictable.
No sudden surprises or broken features. - Real feedback shapes the final release.
Residents often see improvements they suggested. - The product evolves thoughtfully.
Not rushed, not reckless — but steady and reliable.
Final Thought: Security at ADDA Is Not a Checkbox. It’s a Culture.
ADDA’s approach to security is not “Let’s do everything once and celebrate.”
It’s more like a lifestyle — like a well-managed society committee that quietly keeps everything running without fuss.
From encryption to backups, from minimal permissions to disaster plans, from AWS hosting to strict access control, ADDA’s commitment is simple:
If the data belongs to your home or family, it will be protected like something priceless.
No shortcuts. No compromises. No exceptions.
And that is why communities across India, UAE, the US and beyond trust ADDA not just as a software tool, but as a long-term guardian of their most private information.
If you need any further information, please feel free to write to us at support@adda.io