Acceptable Use Policy

1. Purpose and Scope

This Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) outlines the rules and guidelines for using Rent A Route's VPS hosting services. This policy is designed to protect our customers, infrastructure, and network while fostering a safe and reliable hosting environment. Violation of this policy may result in service suspension or termination without refund.

2. General Principles

You are responsible for all activity originating from your VPS. You agree to use our services in a lawful, ethical, and responsible manner that does not harm others or our infrastructure. If you become aware of any violation of this policy by others, please report it to our abuse team immediately.

3. Prohibited Activities

3.1 Illegal Activities

You may not use our services for any illegal purpose or in violation of any laws, including but not limited to:

• Distribution, transmission, or storage of illegal content
• Copyright infringement or piracy
• Trademark violations
• Fraud, identity theft, or financial crimes
• Sale or distribution of controlled substances
• Illegal gambling operations
• Child exploitation material (strictly prohibited and will result in immediate termination and law enforcement notification)

3.2 Malicious Activities

The following malicious activities are strictly prohibited:

• Hosting, distributing, or facilitating malware, viruses, trojans, or ransomware
• Launching denial-of-service (DoS) or distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks
• Port scanning or network probing of external networks without authorization
• Brute force attacks or password cracking attempts
• Exploiting vulnerabilities in systems or networks you do not own
• Operating command-and-control (C2) infrastructure for botnets
• Hosting phishing sites or conducting phishing campaigns

3.3 Spam and Unsolicited Communications

Spam and unsolicited bulk communications are prohibited:

• Sending unsolicited commercial email (UCE) or spam
• Operating services that facilitate spam
• Harvesting email addresses without consent
• Using purchased or scraped email lists
• SMS spam or unsolicited text messages

Note: Port 25 (SMTP) is blocked by default on all VPS instances to prevent spam. If you have a legitimate need for outbound email services, please contact support to request port 25 access. You will be required to demonstrate legitimate use and implement proper authentication mechanisms.

3.4 Network Abuse

Activities that disrupt or degrade network services are prohibited:

• Operating open resolvers (DNS servers accessible to the public without authentication)
• Running services that participate in amplification attacks
• IP spoofing or packet forgery
• Excessive bandwidth consumption that impacts other customers
• Operating unauthorized open proxies for malicious purposes

4. Permitted Activities

4.1 Privacy and Security Tools

We support privacy and security. The following activities are explicitly permitted:

• Tor Services: You may operate Tor relay nodes, bridges, and exit nodes. We support internet freedom and privacy rights.
• VPN services for personal or commercial use
• Encrypted communication services
• Security research and penetration testing (on your own infrastructure only)

4.2 Content Hosting

You may host any legal content, including:

• Personal or commercial websites
• Web applications and APIs
• File storage and sharing services (for legal content)
• Media streaming (with proper licensing)
• Gaming servers
• Development and testing environments

5. Resource Usage

5.1 Fair Use

Your VPS includes allocated resources (CPU, RAM, disk, bandwidth). You are expected to:

• Use resources in line with your allocated plan
• Not engage in activities that significantly impact other customers' performance
• Upgrade to a higher plan if your needs exceed your allocation

5.2 Cryptocurrency Mining

Cryptocurrency mining is prohibited unless you have received explicit written permission. Mining operations consume excessive resources and impact shared infrastructure. Contact our sales team if you have specific mining requirements.

5.3 Storage

Your allocated disk space should be used appropriately:

• No backups of systems external to your VPS as primary use
• No file storage services that operate primarily as "cold storage"
• Active use of files is expected; purely archival storage should be minimal

6. Network Ports and Services

6.1 Port 25 (SMTP)

Port 25 is blocked by default on all VPS instances to prevent spam and abuse. If you need to send email from your VPS, you have two options:

• Use an external email service provider with SMTP authentication (ports 587/465)
• Request port 25 access from support with justification and proof of legitimate use

Port 25 access requires:

• Valid SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records
• Proper reverse DNS configuration
• Compliance with email best practices
• Immediate revocation if spam is detected

6.2 Other Ports

All other ports are open by default. You are responsible for:

• Securing services you expose to the internet
• Implementing firewalls and access controls
• Keeping software updated and patched

7. Content Restrictions

While we support free expression, certain content is prohibited:

• Child Exploitation Material: Absolutely prohibited (immediate termination and law enforcement notification)
• Terrorist Content: Content that promotes or facilitates terrorism
• Harassment and Doxxing: Services designed to harass, stalk, or publish private information
• Impersonation: Fraudulent impersonation of individuals or organizations

8. Intellectual Property

You must respect intellectual property rights:

• Do not host pirated software, movies, music, or other copyrighted content
• Do not operate torrent trackers for pirated content
• Respond promptly to valid DMCA takedown notices
• We comply with DMCA safe harbor provisions and will forward complaints to you

Repeated copyright violations may result in service termination.

9. Security Requirements

You are responsible for securing your VPS:

• Use strong passwords and SSH keys
• Keep operating systems and applications updated
• Configure firewalls appropriately
• Monitor your server for compromises
• Respond promptly to security incidents

If your VPS is compromised and used for malicious activities, you are responsible for addressing the issue promptly. We may suspend your service to protect our infrastructure and other customers.

10. Adult Content

Legal adult content is permitted with restrictions:

• Must comply with all applicable laws (including age verification requirements)
• Must not involve minors in any way
• Must implement appropriate content warnings
• Must not involve non-consensual content

11. Political and Controversial Content

We support free speech and do not discriminate based on political viewpoints. You may host legal political content, activist sites, and controversial but legal speech. We will only remove content when required by law or court order.

12. Reporting Abuse

If you believe someone is violating this policy:

• Email our abuse team with details and evidence
• Include relevant logs, screenshots, or documentation
• We investigate all reports and take appropriate action
• We may not disclose the outcome due to privacy considerations

13. Compliance and Cooperation

You agree to:

• Respond promptly to abuse complaints
• Cooperate with investigations
• Provide information when legally required
• Take corrective action when violations occur

We cooperate with law enforcement and comply with valid legal process, including subpoenas, court orders, and warrants.

14. Enforcement

14.1 Investigation

We reserve the right to investigate suspected violations of this policy. This may include:

• Reviewing logs and network traffic patterns
• Accessing your VPS to investigate abuse complaints
• Contacting you for information

14.2 Actions

Violations may result in:

• Warning: First-time minor violations may receive a warning
• Suspension: Service may be suspended pending investigation or resolution
• Termination: Serious or repeated violations result in immediate termination
• Legal Action: Illegal activities will be reported to law enforcement

We reserve the right to take immediate action without notice for serious violations, including illegal activities, security threats, or activities that impact our infrastructure.

15. No Refunds for Violations

Service termination due to policy violations does not entitle you to a refund. You remain responsible for any outstanding payments.

16. Policy Updates

We may update this policy to address new threats, technologies, or legal requirements. Material changes will be communicated via email. Continued use of services constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

17. Questions and Contact

For questions about this policy or to report abuse, contact us at:

Rent A Route
1317 Edgewater Dr #4282
Orlando, FL 32804
United States