What are best practices in Glide for data security? Always use Row Owners for sensitive/personal info.

The Case for Row Owners: Essential Data Security for Glide Apps

Key Takeaways

• Row Owners provide the highest level of data protection in Glide by preventing sensitive data from being downloaded to unauthorized devices, unlike visibility conditions which only hide data on the interface.

• Business applications require this level of security to protect customer data, comply with regulations like GDPR and SOC 2, and maintain user trust when handling personal or financial information.

• Implementation is straightforward and cost-effective as Row Owners are available for free on all Glide apps and require only basic email-based configuration to secure entire data tables.

The Challenge We Face

Our apps handle sensitive business data that puts us at legal and reputational risk without proper protection. Current visibility-based security approaches leave critical vulnerabilities:

• App data loads to user devices even when hidden, making it accessible to tech-savvy users through browser inspection tools
• Customer personal information, financial records, and business data remain exposed despite appearing secure on the interface
• Regulatory compliance requirements for GDPR, SOC 2, and data protection standards cannot be met with basic filtering alone

Why Row Owners Is the Solution

1. True Data Protection at the Server Level

• Benefit: Only authorized users can download specific data rows, preventing any client-side access to restricted information
• Reason: Glide's servers prevent unauthorized data from being transmitted to user devices, eliminating inspection-based vulnerabilities that exist with filters

2. Regulatory Compliance Made Simple

• Benefit: Meets strict GDPR, SOC 2, and industry data protection requirements automatically
• Reason: Row-level data isolation ensures personal information remains accessible only to designated owners, satisfying legal obligations for data privacy

3. Zero-Cost Implementation

• Benefit: Available free on all Glide apps without requiring premium subscriptions or complex setup
• Reason: Simple email-based configuration makes enterprise-grade security accessible to organizations of any size

4. Scalable User Management

• Benefit: Easily manages hundreds or thousands of users with individual data access controls
• Reason: Each user automatically sees only their assigned data rows, reducing administrative overhead while maintaining strict security

At-a-Glance Comparison

What This Means for Us

• Enhanced customer trust and retention due to demonstrable data security measures that protect sensitive information
• Reduced legal liability and compliance costs by automatically meeting GDPR and SOC 2 requirements without additional infrastructure investment
• Competitive advantage in regulated industries where data security is a primary concern for potential clients and partners
• Simplified user management allowing rapid scaling without compromising security or requiring complex permission systems
• Future-proof security architecture that adapts as privacy regulations become more stringent and user expectations increase

Our Recommendation

Implement Row Owners immediately for all sensitive data in Glide applications. Configure email-based row ownership on user profiles, financial data, and personal information tables to ensure only authorized individuals can access their designated records. This provides enterprise-grade security without cost or complexity while ensuring regulatory compliance and maintaining user trust.