Acceptable Use Policy

Contents

• 1. Purpose
• 2. General Conduct
• 3. Network & System Security
• 4. Email Use
• 5. Web Hosting & Content
• 6. Resource Usage
• 7. Security Responsibilities
• 8. Enforcement
• 9. Reporting Abuse

1. Purpose

This policy defines acceptable use of Netcom’s hosting, email, and internet services to ensure security, integrity, and reliability for all customers.

2. General Conduct

Customers must use our services responsibly and lawfully. You may not use our systems to:

• Violate any applicable laws or regulations.
• Transmit, distribute, or store any material that is illegal, abusive, defamatory, obscene, or otherwise inappropriate.
• Engage in harassment or cause harm to others.
• Misrepresent identity or forge email headers or addresses.
• Infringe copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property rights.

3. Network & System Security

You may not:

• Attempt to gain unauthorised access to any system, network, or account.
• Interfere with or disrupt other users’ access to services.
• Perform or participate in any denial-of-service (DoS/DDoS) attack.
• Deploy scripts, bots, or applications that cause excessive load or degrade server performance.
• Circumvent or tamper with security mechanisms or system configurations.

4. Email Use

• You must not send unsolicited bulk or commercial emails (“spam”) through our network.
• All outgoing messages must comply with UK spam regulations, including the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR).
• We reserve the right to suspend any account involved in spamming or excessive outbound mail activity.

5. Web Hosting & Content

• Hosted content must comply with UK law and must not contain or promote illegal, offensive, or misleading material.
• Scripts or applications must be kept updated and secure. Outdated or vulnerable software may be disabled for security reasons.
• You must not host phishing sites, malware, or exploit kits under any circumstances.

6. Resource Usage

• Shared hosting resources must be used fairly and reasonably.
• Excessive CPU, memory, or bandwidth usage that impacts other users may result in temporary suspension or upgrade recommendations.
• Cron jobs, daemons, or background tasks must not run continuously without approval.

7. Security Responsibilities

• Customers must maintain secure passwords, enable SSL/TLS where possible, and keep local devices free from malware.
• We may temporarily disable access to protect your account or our infrastructure in the event of detected security risks.

8. Enforcement

• Violations of this policy may result in warnings, suspension, or termination of services.
• Serious or repeated violations may be reported to relevant authorities.
• We reserve the right to remove content or block network traffic at our discretion to protect service integrity.

9. Reporting Abuse

If you believe any customer is violating this policy, please report it to abuse@netcom.co.uk with full details and supporting evidence.