Shopify Plus Security & Compliance Resources Collection
Data Residency & Data Protection: Shopify Plus is built on a global cloud infrastructure (primarily AWS in the U.S. and Google Cloud in Canada), and data from EU/UK/Swiss customers is first processed by Shopify International Limited (Ireland) (Shopify Help Center | Subprocessors) (Shopify Help Center | Subprocessors). Shopify’s Data Processing Addendum (DPA) confirms personal data may be transferred to any country where Shopify or its processors operate (e.g. Canada, U.S., Singapore), subject to GDPR-compliant safeguards (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada) (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada). Specifically, the DPA incorporates EU/UK GDPR requirements (Appendix C) and 2021 Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) for international transfers (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada). For U.S. laws, Shopify treats itself as a CCPA/CPRA “service provider,” pledging not to “sell or share” personal data outside the merchant’s instructions (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada) (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada). In practice, all Shopify stores use SSL/TLS by default and are PCI DSS Level 1 certified (PCI Compliant Hosting Provider, Web Hosting Service by Shopify. - Shopify), ensuring encryption in transit and at rest. Shopify also provides privacy features (e.g. cookie settings) and guidance so merchants can comply with GDPR/CCPA (Shopify Security - Shopify).
- Global infrastructure: Merchant/store data is hosted across North America (AWS US, Google Cloud Canada) (Shopify Help Center | Subprocessors). EEA/UK/Swiss customer data is initially routed via Shopify Ireland (Shopify Help Center | Subprocessors). Shopify’s engineering team confirms a large portion of workloads now run on Google’s global cloud network (Shopify’s Infrastructure Collaboration with Google - Shopify).
- Legal compliance: Shopify’s DPA explicitly lists GDPR, UK-GDPR, CCPA/CPRA and other laws (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada). It binds Shopify to GDPR-security measures (breach notification, confidentiality, security controls) (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada) (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada). It also states Shopify will not engage in practices forbidden by these laws (e.g. selling data under CCPA) (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada). After service termination, Shopify “purge[s]” or de-identifies personal data per merchant’s choice (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada) (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada).
- Regional controls: No explicit on-demand data-center selection is offered; instead, compliance relies on the DPA and SCCs for lawful transfers (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada). Shopify’s Privacy Policy and Help Center direct merchants to tools for GDPR/CCPA compliance, and a public Transparency Report details how legal data requests are handled (Shopify Security - Shopify) (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada).
Access Control & Authentication
Shopify Plus supports robust access-management features and enforces ISO 27001-aligned controls:
- Two-Factor Authentication & SSO: Plus organizations can require all staff to use two-step login (MFA) (Shopify Help Center | Managing additional user security features) (Shopify Help Center | Securing your account with two-step authentication). They may also configure SAML Single Sign-On (with customizable enforcement) and SCIM provisioning to integrate with corporate identity providers (Shopify Help Center | Managing additional user security features).
- Role-Based Access (Least Privilege): Shopify uses a granular RBAC model. Admins define staff roles (e.g. Merchandiser) and assign multiple roles to accumulate needed permissions (Shopify Help Center | Roles). Custom organization-level roles are available on Plus, allowing fine-grained cross-store permissions (Shopify Help Center | Organization permissions). Each user only gets the permissions required for their job, supporting least-privilege access (ISO A.9.2).
- Privileged Accounts & Segregation: The primary store/organization owner account has full access (including sensitive financial and customer data) by default (Shopify Help Center | Sensitive permissions). Shopify advises distributing sensitive privileges across multiple trusted administrators to avoid single points of failure (Shopify Help Center | Sensitive permissions). In practice, Owners/Org Admins control billing and are urged to use 2FA, while additional administrator roles can manage most tasks.
- Audit Logging: Shopify Plus provides user activity logs in the admin console (Shopify Help Center | Managing additional user security features). All admin actions (logins, changes) can be reviewed by Plus merchants. Internally, Shopify requires that any employee or subcontractor accessing data be bound by confidentiality and undergo security training (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada). Shopify’s systems themselves enforce strong access controls (firewalls, auth policies) and require 2FA for internal admin access (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada).
ISO/IEC 27001:2013 Control Mapping
Shopify Plus’s practices align with key ISO 27001 controls:
- A.8 – Asset Management: Shopify treats all store and customer data as critical information assets. The Data Security Appendix (DPA Appendix B) describes controls for data integrity during storage and transmission (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada). All traffic is encrypted (HTTPS) and sensitive data (e.g. payment details) is encrypted at rest (PCI DSS requirement) (PCI Compliant Hosting Provider, Web Hosting Service by Shopify. - Shopify) (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada). The DPA specifies that after service end, Shopify will anonymize, return, or securely delete data (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada) (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada). Employees who handle data are identified as asset custodians, bound by confidentiality (ISO A.8.1) (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada). Backups and DR processes (referenced in the security program) ensure data availability (ISO A.8.3).
- A.9 – Access Control: Shopify implements least-privilege and strong authentication (ISO A.9.1.1, A.9.2). Internally, Shopify restricts system access to authorized personnel with 2FA (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada). For customers, Shopify Plus enables enforced MFA for all users (Shopify Help Center | Managing additional user security features). Fine-grained RBAC aligns with ISO A.9.2.1 – user rights are tied to roles (Shopify Help Center | Roles) (Shopify Help Center | Organization permissions). Privileged roles (store/org owners) have broad rights, so Shopify recommends splitting duties (segregation of tasks) to mitigate risk (Shopify Help Center | Sensitive permissions). Account management follows ISO A.9.2.6: new staff must be provisioned via admin roles and can be revoked. Session controls and logging meet A.9.4 requirements. Shopify’s PCI-level access policy (strong AC measures) (PCI Compliant Hosting Provider, Web Hosting Service by Shopify. - Shopify) further reinforces these controls.
- A.18 – Compliance (Legal & Regulatory): Shopify explicitly addresses legal obligations. Its DPA and EU Addendum require compliance with GDPR/UK-GDPR (data subject rights, breach notification) (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada) (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada), and similarly cover California/US privacy laws (Shopify acts as a CCPA “service provider” and will not misuse data) (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada). These commitments align with ISO A.18.1.4 (privacy) and A.18.1.5 (protection of records). Shopify’s policies and contracts (Terms, Acceptable Use, DPA) ensure adherence to international regulations (A.18.1.1). Independent audits attest to this: Shopify maintains SOC 2 Type II compliance reports, showing it meets security and confidentiality criteria (Shopify Security - Shopify). Finally, Shopify enforces ongoing compliance through continuous monitoring and policy review (ISO A.18.2).
Certifications & Audit Reports
- PCI DSS: Shopify is certified PCI DSS Level 1; this compliance automatically extends to all Shopify Plus stores (PCI Compliant Hosting Provider, Web Hosting Service by Shopify. - Shopify). Annual assessments and continuous risk management satisfy the “maintain secure network” and “protect data” requirements of PCI.
- SOC Reports: Shopify has received SOC 2 Type II and SOC 3 reports from independent auditors (Shopify Security - Shopify). These cover controls for security and availability of the platform. Plus merchants (or auditors) can review Shopify’s compliance reports upon request.
- Privacy Certifications: While not ISO 27001 certified by Shopify’s own admission, Shopify’s Data Processing Addendum aligns with GDPR/CCPA mandates (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada) (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada). Shopify updates its DPA per current laws (e.g. incorporating 2021 EU SCCs (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada)). Shopify also publishes a Transparency Report detailing legal data requests (Shopify Security - Shopify).
- Internal Program: Shopify invests heavily in security (vulnerability scanning, pen tests, incident response) as outlined in its DPA Appendix B (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada) (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada). These correspond to ISO 27001 sections on testing (A.12), incident management (A.16), and policy. Continuous monitoring and annual audits demonstrate the company’s commitment to compliance.
Summary: Shopify Plus provides a robust, enterprise-grade security posture. Its global cloud infrastructure is backed by contractual safeguards for GDPR/CCPA, and Shopify maintains strong internal controls (2FA, RBAC, encryption) mapped to ISO 27001 standards. Third-party certifications (PCI, SOC 2) and published compliance documentation further validate its security capabilities. Enterprise customers can rely on Shopify Plus to meet data residency and access control requirements, provided they implement the available controls (MFA, SSO, role separation) and review Shopify’s compliance resources (Shopify Help Center | Managing additional user security features) (PCI Compliant Hosting Provider, Web Hosting Service by Shopify. - Shopify) (Shopify Security - Shopify).
Sources: Official Shopify documentation (Data Processing Addendum, Help Center security guides, and website), plus Shopify’s audited compliance reports (Shopify Help Center | Subprocessors) (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada) (Shopify Data Processing Addendum - Shopify Canada) (Shopify Help Center | Managing additional user security features) (PCI Compliant Hosting Provider, Web Hosting Service by Shopify. - Shopify) (Shopify Security - Shopify).