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HOSTETHICAL

Legal

Acceptable use policy

Last updated

Template text — review before launch

This policy is a starting draft prepared for HostEthical. It must be reviewed and adapted by the business's legal counsel before it is relied on. Text in [square brackets] needs to be completed.
On this page
  1. Why this policy exists
  2. Illegal and harmful content
  3. Email and spam
  4. Network and security abuse
  5. Domain and DNS abuse
  6. Fair use of shared resources
  7. Responsibilities on a VPS
  8. Reporting abuse
  9. How we respond

1. Why this policy exists

Our servers, IP addresses and mail infrastructure are shared by thousands of customers. One compromised site or spam run can get an IP range blocklisted and hurt everyone on it. This policy sets out what is not allowed on any HostEthical service — domains, DNS, hosting, email and cloud servers — and applies to you and to anyone you let use your services. It forms part of our Terms of service.

2. Illegal and harmful content

You must not use our services to store, publish, send or link to:

  • anything that is unlawful in India or in the place it is targeted, including content prohibited under the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the rules made under it;
  • child sexual abuse material — we have zero tolerance, terminate the service immediately and report it to the authorities;
  • content that infringes copyright, trademarks or other intellectual-property rights, including pirated software, media or "warez";
  • content that promotes terrorism or violence, incites hatred, or harasses or threatens individuals;
  • fraudulent schemes, fake shops, investment scams, or impersonation of another person, brand or government body;
  • the sale of illegal goods or services, including unlicensed pharmaceuticals and weapons.

3. Email and spam

  • Do not send unsolicited bulk or commercial email. Every marketing list must be opt-in, and every message must include a working unsubscribe link and your real identity.
  • Do not use purchased, rented or scraped address lists.
  • Respect the hourly sending limits on your plan. For large newsletters, use a dedicated email marketing provider.
  • Do not advertise a website hosted with us, or a domain registered with us, through spam sent from anywhere else.
  • Do not run open mail relays or forward mail in a way that relays spam to third parties.

4. Network and security abuse

You must not use our services to:

  • host or distribute malware, ransomware, spyware or phishing pages;
  • operate botnet command-and-control servers, open proxies or anonymising relays used for abuse;
  • launch or facilitate denial-of-service attacks, port scans, brute-force login attempts or vulnerability scanning of systems you don't own or have written permission to test;
  • gain or attempt to gain unauthorised access to any system, account or data, including other customers' services;
  • forge packet, email or DNS headers to disguise the origin of traffic;
  • mine cryptocurrency on shared hosting plans.

5. Domain and DNS abuse

In line with ICANN's contractual framework and registry policies, we act on DNS abuse: the use of a domain for malware, botnets, phishing, pharming, or spam that delivers any of those. We also act on domains used to impersonate a trademark owner with intent to deceive. Registering a domain to sell it back to a trademark owner, or to mislead visitors who mistype a well-known name, may be challenged under the UDRP or INDRP.

Registrant contact details must be accurate. Domains registered with false details may be suspended until they are corrected.

6. Fair use of shared resources

Shared hosting plans are designed for websites, web applications and email. "Unmetered" or "unlimited" features mean we don't set a fixed cap for normal website use — not that resources are infinite. To keep the platform fast for everyone, you must not:

  • use hosting as a file-storage, backup or media-streaming service, or to host files that are mainly downloaded rather than part of your site;
  • run long-running background processes, game servers, or scripts that consistently use a disproportionate share of CPU, memory or disk I/O;
  • run public file-sharing, torrent trackers or download mirrors.

If an account affects other customers we will contact you, help you optimise, or suggest a plan that fits — such as a cloud server.

7. Responsibilities on a VPS

  • You are the administrator: keep the operating system and software patched, use strong credentials or SSH keys, and run a firewall.
  • You are responsible for all traffic from your server's IP addresses, including traffic caused by a compromise.
  • If your server is compromised and starts attacking others, we may restrict its network access until it is cleaned or reinstalled.

8. Reporting abuse

Report spam, phishing, malware, infringement or other abuse involving our network to admin@hostethical.com. Please include:

  • the domain, URL or IP address involved;
  • evidence — full email headers for spam, the exact URL for phishing or malware, and timestamps with time zone for network attacks;
  • for copyright or trademark complaints, details of the work or mark, proof that you own or represent it, and a statement that the report is made in good faith.

We acknowledge reports promptly and prioritise those involving active phishing, malware or harm to people.

9. How we respond

  • We investigate reports and our own monitoring alerts. Where we can, we contact you first and give you a reasonable time to fix the issue.
  • For serious or ongoing harm — active phishing, malware distribution, attacks, or child abuse material — we may suspend the service or domain immediately, without notice.
  • Repeated or deliberate violations may lead to termination of all services on the account without refund.
  • We cooperate with law-enforcement agencies, CERT-In, registries and other network operators, and disclose information where required by law.
  • If you think we have acted in error, reply to our notice or open a ticket and we will review it.

Questions about this policy?

Email admin@hostethical.com or write to HostEthical, [registered address].