Privacy Policy

Overview

Probe Toolkit ("the Service") is operated by Patchen Technologies LLC. We are committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding that data.

The short version: we collect as little as possible and process data client-side whenever we can. The site is free and supported by advertising from Google AdSense. Advertising and analytics are described below, including how to opt out.

What We Do Not Collect

• We do not require accounts, logins, or registration of any kind.
• We do not collect names, email addresses, or any personally identifiable information (except when you voluntarily provide it via the feedback form).
• We do not build advertising profiles ourselves and we do not sell personal information to data brokers. Google, our ad provider, may use cookies and similar identifiers as described under Advertising, and in some US states that counts as a "sale" or "sharing" that you can opt out of.
• We don't store what you type into tools. Tools that run in your browser never send it to us; for tools that need our server, requests may appear briefly in our web host's standard access logs.

The only advertising and analytics services we intentionally load are Google AdSense and our first-party Umami instance, plus our own first-party Probe Toolkit stats cookie described below.

Client-Side Processing

Many of our tools operate entirely within your browser using JavaScript. When you use a client-side tool (such as the Password Generator, Base64 Encoder, JSON Formatter, Hash Generator, or Color Converter), your input data is processed locally on your device. It never leaves your browser and is never transmitted to our servers.

Server-Side Processing

Some tools require server-side lookups to function (such as DNS Lookup, WHOIS, IP Geolocation, and SSL Certificate Checker). For these tools:

• Your query (for example, a domain name or IP address) is sent to our server via an encrypted HTTPS connection.
• The query is processed in memory only. It is not written to disk, stored in a database, or logged by the application.
• Results are returned to your browser and the server-side data is discarded immediately.
• To prevent abuse, we briefly keep a scrambled form of your IP address, protected by a secret key that changes daily, so we can limit how many requests can be made. It's normally deleted within about an hour, and once that day's key is destroyed (normally within about a day) it can no longer be linked to your address.

Cookies

Probe Toolkit uses a small number of first-party cookies. Our ad provider, Google, may also set or read third-party cookies and similar identifiers. If you are in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or Switzerland, Google's consent message asks for your choice before advertising cookies are used, and until you choose, ads are served without them.

Google AdSense may set or read third-party cookies and similar identifiers (for example, the DoubleClick cookie) for ad delivery, frequency capping, fraud prevention, measurement, and, where allowed, personalized ads. Your choices are described under Advertising. Our Umami analytics tool is first-party and does not set advertising cookies. You can delete cookies in your browser settings at any time.

Local Storage

Probe Toolkit uses your browser's localStorage (not cookies) for two purposes:

• Theme preference: Remembering whether you selected dark or light mode.
• Recently used tools: Storing a list of your recently visited tools for quick access on the homepage.

This data is stored entirely in your browser and is never transmitted to our servers.

Analytics

We use first-party analytics. Neither is an advertising network, and neither is used by us to build advertising profiles.

Umami (first-party, self-hosted)

This site uses a first-party analytics tool we host ourselves (Umami at analytics.patchentech.com) to record aggregate page views — for example which pages were opened and roughly from where. It is not an advertising network and is not used to build advertising profiles.

• Umami (self-hosted at analytics.patchentech.com) — page-view events (path, referrer, browser/OS, approximate location from IP). We operate the instance.
• The script is associated with this website only. We do not sell Umami analytics data.

First-party Probe Toolkit stats

Our own application analytics (including the public live stats page) also record aggregate page views, which tools were used, and referrer domain (domain only). The probe_visitor cookie is a random string used only for aggregate counting. It cannot identify you or track your activity across other websites. Aggregate statistics may be displayed publicly; no individual user data is exposed.

Hosting

Probe Toolkit is hosted on Hostinger. Hostinger may collect basic server access logs as part of standard hosting operations. We do not access or use these logs for marketing. This data is governed by Hostinger's privacy policy.

Advertising

Probe Toolkit is free because it shows ads. The ads are provided by Google AdSense. When a page with ads loads, your browser sends Google information such as the page address, your IP address, and browser details. Google and its certified ad partners may set or read cookies and similar identifiers to deliver and measure ads, limit how often you see an ad, prevent fraud, and, where you allow it, show ads based on your visits to this site and other sites (personalized ads).

• Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this website or other websites. Google's use of advertising cookies lets it and its partners serve ads to you based on your visits to this site and/or other sites on the Internet.
• How Google uses this information: see How Google uses information from sites or apps that use its services and Google's Privacy Policy.
• Turn off personalized ads from Google: visit Google Ads Settings (My Ad Center) or google.com/settings/ads. To opt out of other participating vendors' personalized ads, visit www.aboutads.info.
• EEA, UK, and Switzerland: Google's consent message (a Google-certified consent management platform) asks for your choice before advertising cookies or personalized ads are used. Until you choose, and if you decline, ads are served in a limited mode without advertising cookies. You can change or withdraw your choice at any time using the privacy and cookie settings link that Google's message shows on the page.
• United States: where state law gives you the right, you can opt out of the "sale" or "sharing" of your personal information for targeted advertising using the "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information" link that Google's message shows on this site. See "For US State Residents" below.

We do not give Google your name or email address, and the ads are not based on what you type into our tools.

Your Rights

For All Users

• Delete all cookies and localStorage data through your browser settings at any time.
• Use your browser's built-in controls to block specific cookies or all cookies.

For EEA, UK, and Swiss Residents (GDPR, UK GDPR, Swiss FADP)

We use Google's consent message, a Google-certified consent management platform, to ask for your consent before advertising cookies are used or ads are personalized. Until you choose, and if you decline, Google serves ads in a limited mode without advertising cookies. You can change or withdraw consent at any time using the privacy and cookie settings link that Google's message shows on the page. Withdrawing consent does not affect processing that happened before.

Under the General Data Protection Regulation, you also have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of any data we hold about you.
• Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate data.
• Erasure: Request deletion of your data, including any feedback submissions and analytics data associated with your probe_visitor cookie ID where applicable.
• Withdraw consent: Change or withdraw advertising consent at any time using the privacy and cookie settings link that Google's consent message shows on the page.
• Complaint: Lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

For US State Residents (including California under the CCPA/CPRA)

When ads are shown, Google may receive cookie and device identifiers, your IP address, and the pages you view on this site. Under California law and similar laws in other states, this may be a "sale" of personal information or "sharing" for cross-context behavioral (targeted) advertising. We do not knowingly sell or share the personal information of anyone under 16.

• Opt out: use the "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information" link that Google's message shows on this site. You can also turn off personalized ads at adssettings.google.com or google.com/settings/ads.
• Global Privacy Control (GPC): we treat a GPC signal from your browser as a valid request to opt out of sale and sharing for that browser, and we process it automatically: no fee, no pop-up, and no change to how the site works. When your browser sends GPC, we tell Google to restrict how it processes data on our pages. To use GPC, turn it on in a supporting browser or extension (see globalprivacycontrol.org).
• Other rights: depending on your state, you may request access to, correction of, or deletion of personal information we hold, by emailing support@patchentech.com. We will not discriminate against you for using these rights.

Children's Privacy

The Service is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect data from children. If you believe a child has submitted personal data through the feedback form, contact us and we will delete it.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated date. Material changes that affect your rights will be highlighted with a notice on the site.

Contact

For privacy questions, data rights requests, or concerns, contact Patchen Technologies LLC at support@patchentech.com.