Iowa Telecom Online customers should read this document. Iowa Telecom Online customers are responsible for this policy. Should this policy be violated at any time, the account in question WILL BE DISABLED WITHOUT WARNING.

Iowa Telecom sets forth an Acceptable Use Policy with the intent of protecting our service, our customers, and other users of the Internet from potentially abusive actions taken by Iowa Telecom customers. The following policy is non-exclusive; any action about which there is doubt should be referred to Iowa Telecom for evaluation. Iowa Telecom may alter this policy from time to time as need dictates.

• Each Iowa Telecom Internet account has a password that is the key to gain access to the account. The customer who registered the account is solely responsible for all access and actions taken with regard to the account. It is the account owner's responsibility to safeguard the account password and to ensure that Iowa Telecom Acceptable Use Policies are honored. Iowa Telecom will hold the account owner responsible for any violations of the AUP.
• Sites directly attached to the Iowa Telecom backbone are expected to adhere to the Iowa Telecom Acceptable Use Policies. The individual who signed the contract is responsible for educating site users on acceptable use policies. Violations of the AUP by directly attached sites will be referred to the contract signer for resolution. The contract signer will be held responsible for any violations of the AUP.
• Iowa Telecom enforces these policies with respect to Iowa Telecom customers only. We are not responsible for abusive actions which originate from other sites or networks on the Internet.

Acceptable use of the Iowa Telecom network facilities does NOT include:

• Attempting to circumvent user authentication or security of any host, network, or account on Iowa Telecom systems or the Internet at large ("cracking"). This includes scanning or probing ports without the consent of the owner of the machine being scanned.
• Use of Iowa Telecom systems or networks (willfully or negligently) in a manner that encumbers disk space, processors, bandwidth, or other system resources so as to interfere with others' normal use of services on Iowa Telecom or other systems and networks ("denial of service" attack).
• Activities which violate local, state, or federal statutes.

Acceptable use of E-mail does NOT include:

• Sending unsolicited mass mailings of any nature, including those with a "negative option" for continuation. The negative option is inviting those who do not wish to receive more e-mail to reply to you.
• Sending a large number of e-mail messages, or singularly large e-mail messages, to a single address in order to flood someone's mailbox.
• Forging e-mail headers to obscure the true originator of the message.
• Creating or participating in pyramid schemes or chain letters.
• Sending harassing e-mail, either by language, size, or frequency. This includes sending e-mail (or real time) messages to a person who has asked explicitly that you do not.
• Activities which violate local, state, or federal statutes.

Acceptable Use: Usenet

Acceptable use of Iowa Telecom Usenet News service does NOT include:

• Posting unsolicited messages to a large number of Usenet newsgroups either by cross-posting or posting to individual groups ("spamming").
• Attempting to cancel, supersede, or otherwise interfere with Usenet posts other than one's own.
• Blatant posting of articles which violate the named charter for specific newsgroups.
• Publishing someone's real-world data (such as phone number, address, social security number, etc.) in such a way as to cause the person trouble or to incite others to do so.
• Forging Usenet header information to obscure the true originator of the message.
• Activities that violate local, state, or federal statutes.

Acceptable Use: Dial-up Access

Acceptable use of Iowa Telecom Dial-up Access Does Not Include

• Dial-up connections to Iowa Telecom that are idle for 20 minutes or longer, or connected for more than 24 hours continuously, will be disconnected. Idle time is defined as a period during which no input or output is sent or received across the modem connection.
• Multiple simultaneous logins to a single Iowa Telecom dial-up account are prohibited.
• While our service is unlimited, it is not a dedicated modem connection. Use of Iowa Telecom dial-up service as a dedicated modem connection through use of redialers and idle-time traffic generators is prohibited.
• Dialup accounts with only 1-800 number access are considered abandoned if unaccessed for three consecutive months. Iowa Telecom will remove abandoned accounts on the first of the month without notice unless you make special arrangements in advance.
• Activities which violate local, state, or federal statutes.

Acceptable Use: Web/FTP Sites

Acceptable use of Iowa Telecom web/FTP space does NOT include:

• Distribution of pornographic or otherwise indecent or offending materials.
• Distribution of restricted software or materials in violation of copyrights or distribution licenses.
• Distribution of materials which violates local, state, or federal statutes.

Acceptable Use: Reporting Abuse

The following guidelines exist to aid you in reporting abuse as outlined in the Iowa Telecom Acceptable Use Policy.

• When reporting e-mail or Usenet abuse, include a FULL copy of the message, including headers. This will help Iowa Telecom determine if a violation has occurred and take the necessary actions.
• When reporting other types of abuse, include details such as log files documenting the incident. Iowa Telecom cannot act solely on your word. Iowa Telecom must have documented proof of an incident.
• Send your report in an e-mail message to abuse@iowatelecom.net. Due to the number of reports that may be submitted pertaining to a single abuse incident, it is not always possible for Iowa Telecom to respond to each and every report.

Related Resources

Spam (UCE, UBE - unsolicited commercial or bulk email)

• Network Abuse Clearinghouse
• Step-By-Step Spam Reporting
• Junk Email Resource Page
• www.stopspam.org
• The Email Abuse FAQ
• Stop Spam FAQ
• How to Get Rid of Junk Mail, Spam, and Telemarketers
• Junkbusters Home Page
• Filtering Mail FAQ [FAQ launcher @ www.ii.com]
• ChooseYourMail - Spam Recycling Center
• Boycott Internet Spam
• Blacklist of Internet Advertisers
• Usenet: news.abuse.net-abuse.email [Read the net-abuse FAQ first]
• Usenet: alt.spam [Read the alt.spam FAQ first, an HTML version is also available]
• US Postal Inspection Service Why chain letters (including chain emails) are illegal
• Some tools for determining the origin of spam and sending complaints to the right people:
• Network Abuse Clearinghouse - Some abuse reporting tools, SpamCop, NeoTrace and Sam Spade

Network and Internet Security (Port scanning and probes, backdoor programs, viruses and worms)

• Iowa Telecom internet security page - a brief description of a few of the more prevalent internet security issues, with links to more information.
• SANS Institute - The Ten Most Critical Internet Security Threats
• Network Security Library
• SecurityFocus.com
• FAQ: Network Intrusion Detection Systems
• CERT Coordination Center
• AntiOnline - Computer Security
• AntiSearch - Search for security information
• Gibson Research Corporation - Security test: ShieldsUp!
• Secure-me.net - Security test primarily for cable and DSL users
• A series of articles from Winmag.com on internet security
• Four Myths of Online Security
  • Making Your PC Secure Online, Part 2
  • Secure Your PC Online, Part Three
  • Secure Your PC Online, Part Four

• F-Secure Virus Info Center
• Symantec AntiVirus Research Center
• McAffeeB2B (AntiVirus) home
• Central Command - Antiviral Toolkit Pro Virus Encyclopedia

Iowa Telecom makes no claim or warranty about the information contained in the pages referenced above. They are provided as informational links only. Iowa Telecom has no affiliation to said referenced sites.