Acceptable Use Policy

Your usage must be legal, compliant, and not harm the network or others.

Last updated: 2023-10-01 • Abuse reports: abuse@brainhost.com

Purpose & Scope

This Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) applies to all BrainHost services including VPS instances, network services, additional IP addresses, backup/snapshot services, and any other services provided by BrainHost Inc.

By using our services, you agree to comply with this AUP, our Terms of Service, and all applicable laws and regulations. This policy is designed to protect our network infrastructure, ensure fair usage for all customers, and maintain the security and reliability of our services.

General Behavior Requirements

You must comply with all applicable local, national, and international laws and regulations in your use of our services.

Respect Third-Party Rights

You must respect the intellectual property rights, privacy rights, and other legal rights of third parties.

No Circumvention

You must not attempt to mislead, defraud, or circumvent our billing systems, authentication mechanisms, or security measures.

Prohibited Activities

The following activities are strictly prohibited on our network:

  • Illegal Content & Activities — Hosting, distributing, or facilitating illegal content or activities as defined by applicable laws.
  • Malicious Software & Networks — Malware distribution, command & control (C2) servers, botnets, or any malicious network infrastructure.
  • Network Attacks — Port scanning, brute force attacks, denial of service (DoS/DDoS), or reflection/amplification attacks.
  • Open Proxies & Relays — Operating open proxies, open mail relays, or other services that can be abused by third parties.
  • Unauthorized Testing — Unauthorized penetration testing, vulnerability exploitation, or security research targeting third parties.
  • Phishing & Spam — Phishing attacks, unsolicited commercial email (spam), or mass harassment campaigns.
  • Copyright Infringement — Hosting or distributing copyrighted material without proper authorization or licensing.
  • Resource-Intensive Computing — Cryptocurrency mining or other high-risk computational activities (restrictions may apply; see resource usage section).

Email & Messaging Standards

Unsolicited Commercial Email (UCE/Spam)

Sending unsolicited commercial email is strictly prohibited. All commercial email must have explicit recipient consent.

Bulk Email Requirements

Bulk email campaigns must have clear consent from recipients and provide easy unsubscribe mechanisms.

Sender Reputation

Email sending reputation and bounce rates must remain within reasonable thresholds (specific limits: 10%).

Header Integrity

Forging or manipulating email headers to misrepresent sender identity is prohibited.

Network & Security

Port Restrictions

High-risk ports may be restricted by default (e.g., port 25 requires approval for unblocking). Contact support for legitimate use cases.

Security Hardening

Users are responsible for securing their instances with appropriate security measures, updates, and configurations.

Incident Response

If you discover a security breach or compromise, you must immediately isolate the affected systems and report the incident to our support team.

Resource & Fair Usage

Fair Usage Principle

You must not consistently consume shared resources (CPU, I/O, network) beyond your service plan's intended design, causing degradation for other users.

Platform Protection

We may temporarily limit or isolate services to protect platform stability and ensure fair resource distribution among all customers.

Note: Resource monitoring and automated throttling may be applied during peak usage periods.

DMCA Compliance

Upon receiving valid copyright infringement notices (such as DMCA takedown requests), we will forward them to the relevant customer and handle them according to our established procedures.

Repeat Infringement

Customers with repeated copyright infringement violations may face service termination.

Counter-Notices

Customers may submit counter-notices if they believe content was removed in error, following standard DMCA counter-notice procedures.

Enforcement & Actions

Progressive Enforcement

Our typical enforcement process follows: Warning → Suspension (null routing) → Termination, depending on violation severity and frequency.

Law Enforcement Cooperation

We reserve the right to cooperate with law enforcement agencies and may provide information as required by applicable laws and legal processes.

Emergency Actions

In cases of immediate threats to network security or legal compliance, we may take immediate action before providing notice to the customer.

Important: Severe violations may result in immediate termination without prior warning.

Reporting Channels & Required Materials

How to Report

Report abuse via email to abuse@brainhost.com.

Required Information

  • Target IP address or domain name
  • Date and time of incident (UTC timezone preferred)
  • Relevant log excerpts or evidence
  • Links to evidence or supporting documentation
  • Your contact information for follow-up

Tip: Detailed reports help us investigate and resolve issues more effectively.

Changes & Notifications

We may update this Acceptable Use Policy from time to time. Changes will be published on this page with an updated "Last Modified" date. Significant changes may be communicated through additional channels such as email notifications or service announcements.

Continued use of our services after policy updates constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.

Questions about this policy?

Contact our team for clarification on any aspect of our Acceptable Use Policy at abuse@brainhost.com.

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