Overview
This article outlines the technical security architecture of Dermi Atlas Professional. It is intended to help IT administrators and practice managers understand how the software protects data and identifies where the organization must implement its own controls.
Core Principle: Local Data Sovereignty
Dermi Atlas Professional operates on a Local Data Sovereignty model. This differs fundamentally from cloud-based SaaS products.
- Local Storage: All patient health information (PHI), images, and database records are stored on the hard drive of the host computer.
- No Cloud Sync: Patient data is not synced to Dermi's servers.
- No External Access: Dermi support staff cannot access the local instance or its data remotely.
Data Flow
- Patient Images & Notes: Stored in Local Host Database. Transmitted to Dermi? No
- User Passwords (Hashed): Stored in Local Host Database. Transmitted to Dermi? No
- Audit Logs: Stored in Local Host Database. Transmitted to Dermi? No
- Verification Actions: Stored in Local Host Database & Dermi Cloud (Temporarily). Transmitted to Dermi? Yes (account identifiers and technical metadata: username, first name, account email address, request type, the verification link, IP addresses of the requesting device and the Atlas host, user agent, and timezone; no patient data).
- License Verification: Stored in Dermi Cloud. Transmitted to Dermi? Yes.
Network Security & Encryption
Transport Layer Security (TLS)
Dermi Atlas Professional supports TLS encryption for local network communications.
- HTTP (Port 15015): Available for testing, but not recommended for production.
- HTTPS (Port 15045): Recommended for all clinical use. Encrypts data in transit between the host computer and client devices (iPads, laptops).
Self-Signed Certificates
Because Dermi Atlas Professional runs on a local IP address (e.g., 192.168.x.x) rather than a public domain, it cannot use standard public SSL certificates.
- Generation: The Network Gateway container generates a self-signed certificate specific to the host machine at startup, using the configuration supplied by Dermi Atlas Manager. The certificate is regenerated automatically when it is invalid or within 30 days of expiry, and when a regeneration has been scheduled from Dermi Atlas Manager.
- Trust: This certificate must be installed on client devices to avoid browser security warnings.
- See: SSL Certificate Setup for HTTPS Access for installation guides.
Firewall Requirements
On Windows, Dermi Atlas Manager creates the required inbound firewall rules automatically, which requires administrator privileges. On macOS and Linux, no firewall rules are created automatically: on macOS, configuration is needed only when the firewall is set to block all incoming connections, in which case Docker is the application to allow; on Linux, the port rules are added by hand wherever a host firewall is enabled.
- Inbound Rules: Must allow TCP traffic on ports 15015 (HTTP), 15045 (HTTPS), 15815 (WebSocket), 15845 (secure WebSocket), and 15000 (the gateway certificate download, status, and health endpoints). When a default port is already occupied, Dermi Atlas Manager selects an alternate; the ports actually in use are listed under Atlas Status => Atlas Access.
- Isolation: Running the host computer on a private network, not a guest network, is recommended.
Access Control & Authentication
User Isolation
Dermi Atlas Professional is designed for multi-user environments but enforces strict data isolation.
- User A cannot access User B's patients or images.
- Every patient and image record is associated with its owning user, and all data access is filtered by that ownership association, which ensures logical separation of data.
Authentication Standards
- Password Hashing: Passwords are salted and hashed using industry-standard algorithms (e.g., bcrypt) before storage. Plaintext passwords are never stored.
- Complexity: Enforced requirements (12+ chars, mixed case, numbers, symbols).
- Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Optional but recommended. Uses Time-based One-Time Passwords (TOTP) compatible with apps like Google Authenticator.
Backup & Integrity
Dermi Atlas Manager includes a built-in backup utility.
- Scope: Backups include the full database, all images, and configuration settings.
- Integrity: Checksums are generated during backup and verified during restoration to ensure data has not been corrupted.
- Format: Backups are standard compressed tar archives (.tar.gz). MD5 checksums are recorded per file so archive integrity can be validated on restore.
Security Note: Backups are stored on the host computer by default. It is the practice's responsibility to move these backups to a secure, encrypted, off-site location (e.g., an encrypted USB drive or a compliant cloud storage bucket).
Host System Hardening
Because Dermi Atlas Professional relies on the host computer's security, the organization should implement the following "Defense in Depth" measures:
- Disk Encryption: Enable BitLocker (Windows) or FileVault (macOS) on the host computer to protect data at rest in case of physical theft.
- OS Updates: Keep the operating system patched to prevent exploit-based attacks.
- Physical Security: Restrict physical access to the host computer to authorized personnel only.