CONCEP CAMPAIGNER TECHNICAL & SECURITY DOCUMENT

Transcription

1 CONCEP CAMPAIGNER TECHNICAL & SECURITY DOCUMENT Contents Introduction... 3 Overview... 3 Technical Specifications... 3 Data backup... 3 Web publishing... 3 ISP s and client software compatibility... 3 Subscriber Data and List Management... 4 Import and exporting lists of addresses... 4 Mailing groups... 4 Opt-outs... 4 Message Development... 5 HTML... 5 Message storage... 5 Images surveys & polls... 5 Event invitations... 6 SPAM compliance... 6 Message format... 6 Personalisation Capabilities... 6 Message Delivery... 7 Bounce and Response Management... 7 Reporting... 8 Training And Support... 8 Security... 8 General Security... 9 Audits... 9 Security Issue Measures... 9 Logging... 9 Cross Training on environment... 9 Physical Security Equipment Hosting Infrastructure environment Personnel access Storage and transport of media containing data Network Security Customer Separation Host Security Infrastructure security Security Vulnerability Notifications and Information Monitoring Password Policies Client account creation Web Security Disclosure of specific configuration files by the client Programming or scripting languages used Quality Assurance testing E GROUP@CONCEPGLOBAL.COM W CONCEPGLOBAL.COM

2 Security Testing and certification Code Review Confidentiality

3 INTRODUCTION Overview This document defines the technical and security standards of Concep Campaigner. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS Concep works closely with and utilises the services of leading hosting and security companies to ensure the highest availability of our systems. We always monitor new technological developments to help maximise delivery. If any client has a specific requirement beyond our current offering we will always review and use that technology if a tangible benefit can be justified. Data backup No data is ever purged and all historical campaign data is kept indefinitely. Incremental backups to tape are taken every evening with full backups made on weekends. Backup tapes are held on-site. Tapes are held on-site in a secure environment. Snap-shot backups are taken in the same frequency and held on-site to online storage in case of bare metal / physical failures. These snap shots are taken of each server in its entirety so recovery time can be minimized and no re-configuration is necessary. Web publishing Each individual campaign sent from Concep campaigner automatically creates its own web version which may then be published online. Newsletters are posted on the web via a link from an external site. They can then be found via Google and other search engines if referred to by a public web site, otherwise they can not be indexed. ISP s and client software compatibility Concep has relationships and is whitelisted with all major ISP s including AOL, Hotmail, Yahoo, BT Internet and MessageLabs. We work with them and our deliverability and reputation partner, Habeas (see to constantly improve coverage and deliverability. Some formatting exceptions have been noted in older versions of Lotus Notes and Novell Groupwise but, as the HTML rendering capability of these clients improves, this is becoming less of an issue. There are several techniques employed by Concep campaigner to ensure that campaigns are viewed as intended. Two examples are links to web versions in the HTML and plain text message formats. 3

4 Concep s s have been fully tested throughout the wide spectrum of environments by external companies such as Test Partners ( and due to the quality controls in our template creation process we are able to achieve reliable results. The rendering feature within Concep campaigner allows users to test how campaigns will look across 48 variants of clients and settings. SUBSCRIBER DATA AND LIST MANAGEMENT Concep s list management functionality is both flexible and easy to operate. This means that users at all levels will be able to easily import, export and share data and results. Import and exporting lists of addresses Data can be imported and exported into the system address book from Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, CSV file format, Outlook, as well as Salesforce. If integrated (e.g. with InterAction) data import and export between the two systems would simply be at the click of a button, using XML data transfer. Lists are automatically de-duplicated and erroneous addresses are removed upon import. The results are reported separately so bad data can be corrected. Mailing groups Unlimited group lists may be maintained. Shared groups may also be set-up across system sub-accounts. Lists may be compiled from multiple sources, such as a scenario where a single list may be compiled from addresses that are imported, manually added and automatically added through a subscription form. Opt-outs Concep campaigner provides an opt-out mechanism within the to opt-out of further s from the account (or sub-account) from which the is sent. Depending on client requirements, a second facility can be created using a unsubscribe from all address or subscription management page. A central repository of all opt-out addresses can then be maintained. Concep does not allow s to be sent to any address in that account where the recipient has unsubscribed, though their record remains for reference and reporting purposes. 4

5 MESSAGE DEVELOPMENT Concep campaigner is extremely user friendly so that it can be used at any level within an organization. It provides the controls that a corporate head office requires to ensure that corporate branding is adhered to and there are Quality Assurance mechanisms in place. HTML Concep campaigner does not require the user to have any knowledge of HTML or require them to have any other technical capacity. The campaign creation process is driven by pre-defined templates; these have switch-on/switch-off editable areas and functionality such as question/answers and comment boxes. The system is extremely intuitive, providing users with assistance via a unique messaging system at each step as well as a help and knowledge centre to answer specific queries. Text is also inserted via a Rich Text Editor so when editing content any user familiar with Microsoft Word can use it with no problem. Message storage Messages may be categorised by location, department and type. There is a search and file facility in each account to store related campaigns. Generally different departments and locations will work from different accounts. Existing messages may be copied or saved as. The user may copy messages within an account or to another user (i.e. across accounts) Images Images may be added to campaigns. These files are located on an image file storage area on one of Concep s servers. Attachments may also be added, but these are in the form of downloadable files, not physical attachments to the . The current limit is 5MB, though it is possible that this may be increased if required. Concep does not recommend that this limit is increased. Downloads of these files are tracked within the system reporting. surveys & polls Templates may incorporate a question & answer facility which can be activated easily by the user, and used as a poll or survey. Once answered the results are stored within the system for action by the system user. A thank-you message appears for the recipient after the answer/response is submitted. surveys are easily created within Concep campaigner. A survey-specific template should be developed and utilised for the purpose of an survey. The user has the option of multiple choice, multiple select and free-text answers for their survey questions. The 5

6 survey is held within the itself, not on a webpage like most other E-survey tools. This means a higher response rate is achieved. The results can then be exported as an Excel spreadsheet, and diagrams (pie charts etc) may be cut and pasted to external applications. Event invitations Concep campaigner has an intuitive ersvp functionality that can be switched on for an eventspecific campaign and allows the user to set multiple sessions for an event whilst setting guest number limits. It also provides recipients with the ability to determine their attendance (and for which session, if multiple sessions utilised), complete the details of any guests and choose their own preferences for the event. A powerful tool when combined with the Q&A functionality. SPAM compliance There is a SPAM checking device which provides feedback to the user on the various characteristics of their campaign which are SPAM-like, based on the latest edition of Spam Assassin. Messages may be previewed before they are delivered and an unlimited number of test messages may be sent prior to the campaign going live, including testing of delivery to major ISP s. Message format Concep campaigner sends two types of , but four types of are actually achievable. 1. The multi-part packet is made up of a HTML version and; 2. A plain text version. If HTML cannot be viewed, the recipient will receive a plain text message which includes a link to the live campaign as a full web page, so that all reporting elements can be activated. This plain text message can also have; 3. The entire copy of the campaign inserted if desired. There is also a; 4. Print or Mobile version, which simplifies the table structure of the full HTML version and removes the interactive functionality so that viewers can easily print out the campaigns or view on Blackberry and other PDA/mobile devices. Personalisation Capabilities marketing campaigns delivered by Concep campaigner may be as personalised as the user deems fit (e.g. Dear <Firstname> ). Concep works closely with its clients to advise on 6

7 such things as levels of personalisation required. Any information stored in the address book can be mail merged for personalisation. There is a limit of 30 personalised fields within the address book. Fields can be customised to match database fields. The subject line is customisable for each mailing. The textual from line customisable for each mailing. The from address customisable for each mailing. The from address may be setup to be a sub-domain of the client Spoofing is not allowed, DNS entries must be made for the sub-domain to point to our server so mail filters can perform reverse DNS checks and verify the sender. This leads to increased delivery rates. The will only show one recipient in the to field when delivered to the recipients Inbox. MESSAGE DELIVERY Concep ensures that the volume placed on the system is low in comparison to our competitors and that messages are always delivered in a timely fashion. Campaigns can be scheduled to be sent immediately and clients can monitor delivery as it progresses via real time reporting. The status of the campaign s own send progress is displayed, so the user will know at what point the campaign has been successfully sent based on a percentage sent monitor in the reporting area. (i.e. 20% sent, 100% sent etc). Messages may also be scheduled to be delivered on a certain day, at a certain time. BOUNCE AND RESPONSE MANAGEMENT For bounces that are unable to be classified by the rules within the system with 100% accuracy, there is a manual process undertaken every four hours to ensure that no valid comments or replies are lost. Concep campaigner differentiates between hard and soft bounces. Hard bounces are automatically set to do not mail, though the user can manually reset a bounce count to zero to restore an address if required. Bounce codes are explanations in plain English (User not found, Mailbox full etc). Out-of-office replies are automatically ignored. Both hard and soft bounces are flagged and available after every campaign is delivered. The bounce management rules are based on those provided by ListNanny ( 7

8 REPORTING Concep campaigner s reporting system captures all interactions at an individual level to empower the user to make informed follow-ups, through an extremely user-friendly interface. The following are reported on with every campaign delivered: - Number of s sent - Delivery rate - Number of s opened - Number of unique opens - Click-throughs - Unique click-throughs - Comments/replies received via the comment box - Answers to questions: free text and multiple choice - RSVP responses - Opt Outs - Files downloaded - Location viewed based on IP address - Domains viewed and not viewed - Pages viewed (Multi-page) - External Website Tracking Plain-language names may be used for tracked links and reporting is updated in real time. Reports may be exported in.xls format. TRAINING AND SUPPORT Training is delivered to new users in two hour sessions which cover basic campaign building and reporting functions. Getting Started guides are provided within the system, as well as tutorials and online footnotes so personal training is not always necessary, but an option. A help centre may be activated at no extra charge, containing both a knowledge centre and the ability to submit queries. Advanced training is supplied to clients who need to support others in their organization. Due to Concep campaigner s simplicity of use, advanced training is not often required, though an overview of the administration components of the system (such as account management and work-flow) are provided to new clients. Notification of changes to legislation to such things as spam laws are made to our clients via our Client care bulletins. The Client Care feature update newsletter is delivered every month which provides an overview of new functionality. Online help guides and tutorials are also updated. SECURITY 8

9 GENERAL SECURITY Audits Concep may grant prospects and clients to conduct non-destructive audits if necessary, and can make physical access available to hosted solutions. Non-intrusive network audits (basic port scans, etc.) may be done randomly, without prior notice. More intrusive network and physical audits will require permission, and a fee will be payable to Concep to extend technical support during the testing period. Concep solutions are held at the NTT Europe Online s state of the art hosting facility in London. Concep can arrange access to these facilities if desired by the client. Security Issue Measures In the event a security issue is identified, Concep has the abilities to perform the following functions: Disable the account for web (external) access Remove/delete all data from a specified account (all data is held in back-ups offsite) Shut-down firewall to block all external access if security breach is extreme, as this is a shared environment. These measures will only be taken if necessary and are appropriate. Logging In terms of the machines we utilise Windows Server Event Log and security auditing to record and report on server and access events (including failed and successful logins). We also use GFI to monitor and centrally maintain these logs, through the built in security in GFI we limit access to this information to the same staff which have access to the live environment. At an application level we have implemented a notes feature that records database updates to client and user settings as well as performance and failure monitoring to ensure uptime and application stability. Cross Training on environment Concep has ensured that appropriate cross training is in place to insure that the loss of a single employee or group of employees does not jeopardize the availability of the application. The software is developed and managed by truelogic Pty Ltd, who have five employees (out of a total 14) capable of supporting the application and trouble-shooting issues. The infrastructure is supported by NTT Europe Online s global support desks which comply with ISO27001 certification. 9

10 PHYSICAL SECURITY Equipment Hosting The equipment is held in a highly secure data centre provided by NTT Europe Online in London, with full access control procedures. Infrastructure environment All servers in the NTT infrastructure are held in fully secured environments with access given only to technicians. Personnel access Access to the environment hosting the application is strictly managed by NTT Europe Online. Storage and transport of media containing data Full backups are performed on a weekly cycle by NTT Europe Online by tape and stored on-site in a storage area to which NTT Europe Online technical staff only have access permission. Incremental backups are taken every 24 hours by NTT Europe Online. Snapshot backups are also taken every 24 hours by NTT Europe Online and held in on-site network storage. truelogic perform additional backups of the database to our online backup server. NETWORK SECURITY Customer Separation The ASP architecture of Concep campaigner allows for multiple clients to run on the same infrastructure. The proposition and associated pricing is based on a temporary-access licence to the existing shared infrastructure. Deploying the application on client-specific infrastructure is currently not an option due to prohibitive pricing and support requirements. HOST SECURITY Infrastructure security NB: The hosting infrastructure for Concep campaigner is not client specific. The following information relates to Campaigner s shared infrastructure. We apply all security patches for Windows Server 2003 as required/released. Our hosting provider, NTT Europe Online, keeps up-to-date on current vulnerabilities that may affect our environment, and applies patches as they become available. Critical updates are implemented within 24 hours. Administration access to the application server is monitored and audited by truelogic. The machines are also configured with a low attack horizon as well as being firewalled to only allow access on specific ports from authenticated environments (e.g. remote access is only enabled from the VPN at truelogic's office. Non-destructive penetration tests are routinely performed and the application has met and retains security certification criteria. 10

11 Security Vulnerability Notifications and Information Security monitoring is carried out through the use of NTT Europe Online s IntelliSecurity Managed Security Solutions which include: - Firewall Hardware - Setup and Configuration - Installed and Hosted in NTT Europe Online Data Centres - Secure Customer Portal - 24/7 proactive management of threats Further details are provided in the attachment provided. Monitoring NTT Europe Online monitor and alert Concep via on all availability alerts. truelogic monitor additionally and the system and checks the infrastructure and application specific metrics to ensure correct functioning of the application. Password Policies Infrastructure Only truelogic developers and approved NTT Europe Online employees have access through the firewall to the application infrastructure. Application Due to the diverse range of users, no password policy is enforced centrally by Concep for the Campaigner application itself however if a basic password is detected the application alerts the user upon every login. Client account creation Accounts are created by the admin (master) account upon request and receipt of account information via from the end user. Account creation is a manual input exercise through the development administration system, to which only key personnel have access. Accounts are set up with an expiry date equivalent to the licence agreement and period defined. Expired accounts are automatically blocked from accessing the system. Accounts can be terminated immediately upon request to Concep. WEB SECURITY Disclosure of specific configuration files by the client Concep will review requests upon receipt, but in principle have no objection to client requests for such information. However, we would need clarification of the extent of configuration files as we would not be prepared to disclose any confidential source code of the application. 11

12 Programming or scripting languages used The solution is built using Microsoft ASP technology. ActiveX controls are used in the rich text editor and graphing (ChartFX - reporting) software. Javascript is also used for some elements of the user interface. The backend is a combination of VBScript (the active server pages) and a compiled DLL s written in VB and C. The database is SQL Quality Assurance testing The development team perform numerous tests on the system internally to ensure security of the architecture. These tests are done using the exploits which are published that relate to any of our technology pieces and our detailed knowledge of the internal workings of the system. This includes tests for SQL injection, form injection, IIS exploits, URL injection, etc. We also ensure that any development is done to a set of standards to ensure session information is never passed to the client interface, thus preventing user impersonation. Further elaboration can be provided here based on specific requirements. Security Testing and certification The application is tested by Security Alliance on an annual basis for certification. Code Review The development team employs a peer review process, whereby the code written by one developer is reviewed by another before being placed onto the staging environment. The review focuses on a number of aspects including performance, and security. Any questions/concerns are discussed and appropriate resolutions made to the code. CONFIDENTIALITY This area is covered by the standard contract between Concep and our clients. 12