Acceptable Use & Network Abuse Policy

NetWest services may be used for lawful business, Internet, hosting, computing, communications and network applications consistent with the customer’s service agreement and this policy.

Legitimate activities may include, depending upon the service purchased and any applicable approval requirements:

• Business Internet services
• Web hosting
• Application hosting
• Dedicated servers
• Virtual private servers
• Virtualization
• Cloud infrastructure
• Colocation
• Managed IPv4 infrastructure
• BGP routing
• Web applications
• APIs
• Business research
• Search and market research
• Web monitoring
• Data collection
• Advertising verification
• E-commerce applications
• Enterprise network applications
• Other legitimate computing and Internet services

The existence of automated traffic, virtualization, multiple IPv4 addresses or high-volume network activity does not by itself constitute abuse.

However, all activity must comply with applicable law, contractual requirements and this policy.

Customers may not use NetWest services directly or indirectly for activities including, but not limited to:

• Phishing
• Malware distribution
• Ransomware
• Botnets
• Command-and-control infrastructure
• Credential theft
• Credential stuffing
• Brute-force attacks
• Password attacks
• Unauthorized access to systems or accounts
• Exploitation of systems without authorization
• Unauthorized vulnerability scanning
• Malicious port scanning
• Distributed denial-of-service attacks
• Denial-of-service attacks
• DDoS-for-hire or booter services
• Fraud
• Payment fraud
• Identity theft
• Impersonation intended to facilitate fraud
• Distribution or operation of malicious software
• Hosting infrastructure primarily intended to facilitate unlawful activity
• Deliberate interference with another network, service or computer system
• Activities intended to conceal the source of prohibited conduct
• Activities prohibited by applicable federal, state or local law

NetWest reserves the right to investigate activity reasonably believed to threaten the security, integrity or reputation of its network or Internet number resources.

Customers may not use NetWest services to transmit unsolicited bulk email, spam, phishing email or other abusive electronic messaging.

Operating open mail relays is prohibited.

Customers operating legitimate mail servers must maintain appropriate security controls and respond promptly to abuse complaints.

For certain Managed IPv4, hosting, VPS or specialized network deployments, NetWest may restrict outbound SMTP or other mail-related ports.

Any customer requiring outbound SMTP capability where it is otherwise restricted must obtain authorization from NetWest.

NetWest may immediately restrict mail-related traffic when necessary to protect network or IPv4 reputation.

Unauthorized scanning, probing, exploitation or attacks against third-party systems are prohibited.

Customers may not use NetWest services for:

• Unauthorized port scanning
• Credential attacks
• Vulnerability exploitation without authorization
• DDoS activity
• Network flooding
• Reflection or amplification attacks
• Malicious automated traffic
• Attempts to compromise third-party networks or systems

Legitimate security testing performed against systems owned by the customer or where the customer has documented authorization is not prohibited, provided that such activity does not adversely affect the NetWest network or other customers.

NetWest may apply port filtering, rate limiting, traffic filtering or other technical controls when appropriate.

IPv4 resources provided through NetWest services remain under the ownership, registration or administrative control of NetWest or the applicable Internet number resource holder.

Assignment of IPv4 resources to a customer provides a limited contractual right to use those resources during the applicable service term.

Assignment does not transfer ownership of the IPv4 addresses to the customer.

Customers may not sell, transfer, assign, sublease or otherwise convey rights to NetWest IPv4 resources except where downstream use has been specifically authorized by NetWest.

Upon termination or expiration of the applicable service, all rights to use NetWest-provided IPv4 resources immediately cease.

NetWest may reclaim, renumber or replace IPv4 resources when reasonably required for technical, operational, security, regulatory or network-management reasons, subject to any applicable contractual commitments.

Unless specifically authorized in writing, IPv4 prefixes provided by NetWest will remain originated and routed through the NetWest network and applicable NetWest Autonomous System Number.

Customers may not announce or authorize the announcement of NetWest IPv4 resources through another ASN without prior written authorization.

Customers may not independently issue or modify:

• Letters of Authorization (LOAs)
• Route Origin Authorizations (ROAs)
• RPKI records
• IRR routing records
• BGP routing authorizations

for NetWest-controlled IPv4 resources without NetWest authorization.

NetWest retains authority over routing configuration associated with NetWest-controlled Internet number resources.

Reverse DNS and PTR records for NetWest-provided IPv4 resources remain under NetWest administrative control unless specifically delegated.

NetWest may provide or delegate reverse-DNS management where technically appropriate.

PTR records may not contain fraudulent, deceptive, abusive or misleading information.

NetWest may remove or modify reverse-DNS entries associated with abuse or policy violations.

NetWest operates a legitimate Internet Service Provider network.

However, NetWest does not control how independent third parties classify, categorize, geolocate, score or otherwise treat an IPv4 address or network.

NetWest therefore makes no guarantee regarding classification by:

• Search engines
• Streaming platforms
• Advertising platforms
• Security companies
• IP intelligence databases
• Geolocation providers
• Anti-fraud services
• Email reputation services
• Hosting or proxy detection services
• Social media platforms
• E-commerce platforms
• Other third-party systems

NetWest does not guarantee that any address will be categorized as “ISP,” “residential,” “business,” “hosting,” “datacenter” or any other particular classification by a third party.

NetWest also does not guarantee access to any particular website, platform, application or online service.

Third-party classification may change without notice and is outside NetWest’s control.

Customers must use NetWest-provided IPv4 resources in a manner that reasonably protects their reputation.

Activities that repeatedly result in material abuse complaints, security listings, blocklists or network reputation damage may constitute a violation of this policy.

NetWest may investigate listings or complaints involving organizations including recognized network security, anti-abuse and reputation providers.

A listing or complaint does not automatically establish a violation. NetWest may consider the nature of the activity, available evidence, severity, frequency and customer response.

However, NetWest may take immediate action where necessary to protect the network or prevent significant reputational harm.

Customers may be required to remediate the affected service, user, server, application or IP address.

NetWest-provided IPv4 resources are network resources and are not disposable or automatically replaceable because of reputation, classification, blocklisting, rate limiting or access restrictions resulting from customer or downstream-user activity.

Customers are expected to identify and remediate the underlying cause of reputation damage rather than rely upon replacement addresses.

NetWest is not obligated to replace an IPv4 address or prefix because an address or prefix:

• Appears on a blocklist or reputation database
• Is blocked, restricted, rate limited or challenged by a third-party service
• Receives CAPTCHA challenges
• Is classified differently than desired by a third party
• Has reduced reputation resulting from customer or downstream-user activity
• Is restricted by an e-commerce, advertising, search, social media, security or other Internet platform

Where appropriate, NetWest may assist the customer in identifying and remediating the cause of a reputation issue.

NetWest may, at its sole discretion and subject to resource availability, technical review, abuse history and the circumstances involved, replace an individual IPv4 address or IPv4 prefix.

Address or prefix replacement is not guaranteed.

Replacement resources will not ordinarily be provided as a substitute for correcting abusive, prohibited, compromised or reputation-damaging activity.

Repeated requests to replace addresses or prefixes because of customer or downstream-user activity may be considered evidence of systemic abuse or inadequate downstream abuse controls.

NetWest may require remediation of the underlying activity before considering replacement resources.

Replacement or reassignment may be subject to provisioning, engineering, investigation, reputation-remediation or other applicable charges.

NetWest may authorize customers to operate hosting, VPS, virtualization, dedicated-server or similar services using NetWest network resources.

Downstream customer use must be disclosed to and authorized by NetWest where required by the applicable service agreement.

A NetWest customer providing services to downstream users remains fully responsible to NetWest for activity associated with the network and IPv4 resources assigned to that customer.

A customer may not avoid responsibility for abuse by asserting that prohibited activity was performed by its own customer, VPS user, subscriber, contractor, reseller or other third party.

Hosting and VPS providers using NetWest resources must:

• Maintain an enforceable Acceptable Use Policy for their customers.
• Require downstream customers to comply with rules at least as protective of the NetWest network as this policy.
• Maintain accurate customer account and contact information appropriate to the service provided and applicable law.
• Maintain sufficient records to reasonably determine which downstream customer controlled or used an assigned IPv4 address at a particular time.
• Maintain a functioning abuse contact.
• Investigate legitimate abuse complaints promptly.
• Suspend or terminate downstream customers responsible for serious or repeated abuse when appropriate.
• Cooperate with NetWest investigations concerning activity originating from assigned network resources.

Unless specifically authorized by NetWest, downstream customers may not further resell, sublicense or redistribute NetWest-provided IPv4 resources to additional hosting providers or resellers.

The default permitted structure, when downstream hosting is authorized, is:

NetWest → Approved Hosting/VPS Provider → End Customer

Additional levels of redistribution require written NetWest authorization.

Downstream Customer Verification and Records

Customers authorized to provide VPS, hosting, dedicated-server, proxy, VPN or similar downstream services must maintain commercially reasonable procedures designed to discourage anonymous or fraudulent use of NetWest network resources.

Depending upon the nature and risk profile of the service, NetWest may require reasonable customer-verification, payment-fraud prevention, account-validation or similar controls.

Downstream providers must maintain sufficient records to reasonably associate network activity with the responsible customer account, including IPv4 assignment information and relevant timestamps where technically applicable.

NetWest does not require customers to disclose downstream customer information to private complainants except where legally required or authorized.

However, customers must be capable of identifying and taking appropriate action against downstream users responsible for verified abuse.

Operation of proxy, VPN, relay, web-research, automated data-collection or similar applications is not automatically prohibited.

However, such applications must comply with this policy and may be subject to additional review or technical controls.

NetWest does not provide unrestricted “bulletproof” hosting or infrastructure intended to facilitate anonymous abusive activity.

Open proxies, publicly accessible relays or services that permit uncontrolled anonymous third parties to generate traffic through NetWest resources may be restricted or prohibited unless specifically approved.

NetWest may require additional filtering, logging, customer identification, rate limiting or abuse controls for higher-risk applications.

Automated Data Collection and Evasion

Automated data collection, crawling, indexing, monitoring, search research, advertising verification and similar automated applications must be operated responsibly.

Customers may not use NetWest resources to:

• Circumvent authentication or access controls
• Evade technical security controls
• Circumvent blocks or restrictions through repeated IPv4 rotation
• Continue abusive automated activity after receiving a legitimate request to stop
• Intentionally disguise prohibited automated activity through address rotation or other evasion techniques
• Generate traffic at a volume or frequency reasonably likely to impair or disrupt a third-party service
• Use automation in violation of applicable law or binding contractual restrictions applicable to the customer

Customers operating automated applications are responsible for complying with applicable rules and restrictions imposed by destination networks, systems and services.

NetWest may require rate limiting, traffic controls, customer identification, logging or other safeguards for automated applications that create elevated abuse or reputation risk.

The NetWest customer named on the service agreement is responsible for all use of the services provided to that customer, including use by:

• Employees
• Contractors
• Applications
• Customers
• VPS users
• Hosting customers
• Authorized users
• Resellers where specifically permitted
• Other third parties obtaining access through the customer

Customers are responsible for securing their systems and credentials.

Compromise of a customer’s server, account or application does not eliminate the customer’s responsibility to respond to abuse originating from that resource.

Routine processing and forwarding of occasional legitimate abuse complaints is generally considered part of normal NetWest network operations and will not ordinarily result in additional charges.

However, customers are responsible for costs reasonably incurred by NetWest when customer or downstream-user activity requires material administrative, technical, engineering, security or legal involvement beyond routine complaint handling.

NetWest reserves the right to charge for reasonable costs associated with investigating, responding to, mitigating or remediating abuse or alleged abuse attributable to:

• The customer
• Customer systems or applications
• Customer employees or contractors
• VPS users
• Hosting customers
• Downstream customers
• Resellers
• Compromised customer systems
• IPv4 resources assigned for customer use

Billable activities may include, but are not limited to:

• Investigation of repeated abuse complaints
• Analysis of logs or network traffic
• Identification of affected systems or addresses
• Implementation or removal of filters
• Port blocking
• Rate limiting
• Null-route implementation or removal
• Emergency network intervention
• Repeated communication with complainants
• Communication with upstream networks
• Communication with security organizations
• Blocklist investigation
• Blocklist or reputation-remediation efforts
• Delisting requests
• Reputation investigation
• IPv4 reassignment or renumbering
• Restoration of affected network resources
• Work required to address repeated or systemic downstream abuse
• Reasonable third-party or legal costs arising from customer-caused abuse

Where practical, NetWest will notify the customer before undertaking substantial non-emergency billable remediation work.

Emergency action necessary to protect NetWest, its customers, upstream providers, Internet number resources or third parties may be performed without prior customer authorization.

Applicable administrative, engineering or remediation rates may be established in the customer’s Service Order, service agreement or current NetWest service rate schedule.

Payment of abuse-related charges does not authorize prohibited activity and does not prevent NetWest from suspending or terminating service for violations of this policy.

For services involving substantial IPv4 allocations, downstream hosting, VPS services, proxy infrastructure, automated applications or other elevated-risk network applications, NetWest may require additional safeguards as a condition of service.

Such safeguards may include:

• Security or abuse deposits
• Additional customer-verification requirements
• Traffic filtering
• Port restrictions
• Rate limiting
• Logging requirements
• Automated abuse monitoring
• Abuse-response automation
• Additional technical contacts
• Additional reporting requirements

Any deposit requirement will be identified in the applicable Service Order or service agreement.

Where contractually authorized, deposits may be applied to unpaid charges associated with extraordinary abuse investigation, remediation, network restoration or other customer obligations.

Requiring a deposit or additional safeguard does not imply that abusive activity is permitted.

Customers operating hosting, VPS, managed IPv4 or similar network infrastructure must maintain current administrative and abuse contact information with NetWest.

NetWest may require an emergency contact capable of responding to serious network or security incidents.

Customers must notify NetWest when designated abuse or technical contacts change.

NetWest evaluates abuse based on severity and available evidence.

Routine Abuse:

Examples may include isolated complaints, non-critical policy issues or activity that does not present an immediate security threat. Customers may be asked to investigate and respond within 24 hours or another reasonable period specified by NetWest.

Urgent Abuse:

Examples may include repeated attack traffic, credential attacks, significant scanning, phishing, active compromise, serious spam activity or events presenting material reputation risk. NetWest may require action within a shorter period depending upon severity.

Emergency Abuse:

Examples may include active DDoS attacks, malware command-and-control, active phishing infrastructure, attacks threatening NetWest infrastructure, significant ongoing security incidents or activity creating immediate risk to NetWest or third parties. NetWest may take immediate protective action without waiting for customer authorization.

Isolation of Affected Resources

Whenever reasonably possible, NetWest will attempt to address abuse at the smallest practical network level.

For example, abuse associated with a single downstream VPS customer or IPv4 address may initially result in filtering, restriction or null-routing of that individual address rather than suspension of the customer’s entire assigned prefix.

However, NetWest does not guarantee that enforcement action will be limited to an individual address.

Where abuse affects multiple addresses, creates broader network or reputation risk, cannot reasonably be isolated, or constitutes systemic abuse, NetWest may take action affecting an entire subnet, server, interface or customer service.

Customer Investigation Opportunity

For routine and non-emergency abuse complaints, NetWest will generally provide the customer with a reasonable opportunity to investigate and remediate the reported activity before suspending the affected service.

This opportunity does not apply where NetWest reasonably determines that immediate action is necessary to protect network security, third parties, upstream providers, Internet number resources or NetWest’s network reputation.

When reasonably necessary to protect customers, infrastructure, upstream providers, Internet number resources or network reputation, NetWest may:

• Filter traffic
• Block ports
• Rate limit traffic
• Null-route an individual IPv4 address
• Null-route a subnet
• Disable a network interface
• Temporarily suspend a server or service
• Require removal of a downstream user
• Require remediation
• Suspend an affected service
• Terminate service in cases of serious or repeated violations

Whenever reasonably possible, NetWest will attempt to limit intervention to the affected resource rather than unrelated customer services.

However, immediate broader action may be taken where necessary to stop an active threat.

NetWest is not required to wait for customer authorization before taking emergency action reasonably necessary to protect the NetWest network, other customers, upstream providers, Internet number resources or network reputation.

Repeated abuse involving multiple addresses, repeated failure to respond to complaints, continued reappearance of prohibited activity or failure to control downstream users may be considered systemic abuse.

NetWest may suspend expansion of IPv4 allocations, reduce services, require additional safeguards, require removal of downstream users or terminate services where systemic abuse continues.

Indicators of Systemic Abuse

Indicators of systemic abuse may include:

• Abuse complaints involving multiple IPv4 addresses
• Repeated blocklist or reputation listings
• Repeated replacement-address requests
• Repeated reappearance of the same or substantially similar prohibited activity on different addresses
• Downstream customers returning under new accounts after termination for abuse
• Failure to maintain sufficient customer-identification or IP-assignment records
• Failure to enforce the customer’s own Acceptable Use Policy
• Failure to terminate or control repeat offenders
• Use of address rotation as a substitute for abuse remediation
• A pattern of activity that creates material reputation risk for NetWest prefixes or ASN

NetWest is not required to continue treating individual incidents as unrelated when available evidence reasonably demonstrates a broader pattern of systemic abuse.

NetWest Response to Systemic Abuse

Where systemic abuse is identified, NetWest may:

• Suspend assignment of additional IPv4 resources
• Require additional filtering or security controls
• Require removal of specific downstream customers
• Require enhanced customer-verification procedures
• Require additional abuse monitoring or reporting
• Require a security or abuse deposit
• Increase applicable abuse-remediation requirements
• Suspend affected services
• Terminate the applicable service

NetWest recognizes that abuse reporting systems can themselves be misused.

Receipt of an allegation does not automatically establish that a customer violated this policy.

NetWest may request logs, timestamps, headers or other supporting evidence and may decline to take action on complaints that are clearly unsupported, fraudulent, duplicative or lacking sufficient technical information.

NetWest will respond to valid legal process as required by applicable law.

Nothing in this policy requires NetWest to disclose customer information to a private complainant except where authorized by the customer or required by law.

Serious, repeated or intentional violations of this policy may result in suspension or termination.

NetWest may terminate services immediately where continued operation creates an unacceptable security, legal, operational or network-reputation risk.

Termination does not convey any continuing right to use NetWest-provided IPv4 resources.

NetWest takes reasonable measures to protect its network and Internet number resources.

However, Internet reputation is determined by numerous independent organizations and systems.

NetWest does not warrant or guarantee that an IPv4 address will remain free from all blocklists, reputation flags, CAPTCHA systems, access restrictions or classification changes.

NetWest will investigate legitimate reputation concerns associated with NetWest-controlled resources and may take appropriate corrective action.

NetWest may update this policy periodically to address changes in technology, security threats, Internet standards, legal requirements or network operations.

The current version will be published on the NetWest website.

Material changes affecting existing contracted services will be handled in accordance with the applicable service agreement.

Questions regarding this policy may be directed to NetWest Online, Inc.

General Website: netwest.com

Abuse Reports: abuse@netwest.com