Acceptable Use Policy

Security and Virus' are both highest on my list of 'things to do', and that leads me into asking the following question.

'Did you read the "Acceptable Use Policy" when you signed up for your internet account?'

My internet provider publishes their 'AUP' and during sign-up asks if you have read it. Some of the prohibited items are listed below.

(some may say "Do I care ?")

Others may realize that if they are being hacked, they have the right to complain, and have the 'abusers' account cancelled.


Communicating hatred
Pyramid selling
Unauthorized use of a computer
Mischief in relation to data
Fraud
Obscenity
Child pornography

Posting, uploading, reproducing, distributing or otherwise transmitting unauthorized or unsolicited commercial e-mail, junk or bulk e-mail, chain letters, or other "spam"

Engaging in threats, harassment, intimidation, stalking or abuse of others

Scanning another computer system

Probing another computer system

Obstructing or bypassing computer identification procedures

Engaging in unauthorized computer or network trespass

Exporting equipment, software, or data outside of Canada or the U.S. in contravention of applicable export control legislation

And, probably 99% of the people on the internet break the AUP for their ISP every day. I never read my ISPs AUP, so I don't know if I'm allowed to discuss computer security (it might be assisting computer crime!)... Some of those terms are loosely defined as well. Obscenity? Does that mean I can't tell someone to **** off?

Hmm...

Do the ISPs really care either, until someone reports you to the abuse e-mail address?? I don't know, would I be checking logs all the time if I ran an ISP, just to make sure no one is breaking the AUP?? I doubt it very much, I'd have better things to do with my time.

So, the answer to your question is... No, I did not read the AUP, No I don not conform to it (because I didn't read it, so I don't know what I'm allowed to do and what I'm not allowed to do) and also, as a bit of extra info, my ISP terminated my account once because I port-scanned my OWN computer...

Actually, I don't tend to read it for my own usage as I know what most of my boundaries are and tend to stick within there. I also tend to through tidbits of advice and occassional yelling at them.

I do however read what my work ISP has since I tend to do the security audits for them. I helps me when I have to do a scan and say for reasons of a typo I can explain to them why some yutz is screaming at the top of his lungs at them.

Good idea, maybe I should read Freeserve's AUP.

Hmm, how many pages of crap will it be? I can read interesting stuff endlessly, but as for reading through crap I can't stand it.

Heh I didn't even know there was an aceptable use policy hehe... :D

Whatever i deem acceptable to use, I'll use......
Sorry , it's just this severe defiance of authority syndrome I've seemed to devleop over the years.

Screw your ISP...

If you're going to do anything suspicious anyway you shouldn't be doing it from an account that could be traced to your RL name after all.

Do what I do, if you are doing anything that might look a bit *Ahem* unusual, do it from a local public library or school system