University Systems help centre
University of Victoria ResNet terms of service
1. Introduction
The University of Victoria (hereafter UVic) provides occupants of UVic Residences computer networking access to the campus network, research networks, and the commercial Internet through the Residence Network (hereafter ResNet) for learning, research and campus life purposes.
All ResNet services provided by UVic are subject to these Terms of Service. ResNet services are also subject to applicable UVic policies, Local, Provincial, Federal, and International laws, orders, and regulations such as the Criminal Code of Canada, the Copyright Act, and the BC Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
The ResNet Terms of Service are in addition to, not a replacement for, UVic Policy 6030, Responsible Use of IT Resources (http://www.uvic.ca/6030). All sections of UVic Policy 6030 apply, except those sections limiting or prohibiting personal use of the service or limiting or prohibiting use for non-university projects (subsections 2.2, 3.6 and 5.2). Students may use the service for non-university and personal purposes within the limits of responsible use (as described in Policy 6030), other UVic Policies, these Terms of Service, and the law.
By connecting a computer or other device to a ResNet data port, the user agrees to and is bound by the ResNet Terms of Service.
2. Illegal Activity
Use of ResNet for any activity that violates Local, Provincial, Federal or International law, order or regulation, is a violation of these Terms of Service. Prohibited activities include, but are not limited to:
- Posting or disseminating unlawful material (child pornography or obscene material),
- Disseminating material which violates copyright or intellectual property rights,
- Pyramid or other illegal soliciting schemes,
- Fraudulent activities, including but not limited to impersonating any person or entity, or forging anyone's digital or manual signature,
- Harassment, stalking, or uttering threats,
- Violation of these Terms of Service.
The ResNet user is wholly responsible for ensuring that his or her activities are lawful.
3. Security
The user is responsible for any misuse of ResNet services that originate from their ResNet connection, including activities committed by any friend, family, co-worker, classmate, guest, or anyone with access to that connection. ResNet users must take precautions to ensure that others do not gain unauthorized access to their ResNet connection.
If a user is notified by UVic that their system has been breached or compromised, it is their responsibility to ensure that the breach is corrected in a timely manner. UVic reserves the right to limit or disable a user's ResNet access to protect UVic resources. It is the user's responsibility to prove, to the satisfaction of UVic, that her/his system has been fully repaired.
It is the ResNet user's responsibility to ensure that his/her system is adequately protected at all times against viruses, trojans, spyware, etc.
ResNet services may not be used to breach the security of another user, system, device, host, or account, or to attempt access to anyone's computer, software, or data, without the knowledge and consent of that person. This includes, but is not limited to, accessing data not intended for you, logging into or making use of a server or account you are not expressly authorized to access, or probing the security of other networks. Use or distribution of tools designed for compromising security, such as password guessing programs, keystroke loggers, cracking tools, packet sniffers or network probing tools, is prohibited.
You may not disrupt ResNet services. ResNet may not be used to interfere with computer networking or telecommunications services to any user, host or network, including but not limited to, denial of service attacks, flooding of a network, overloading a service, improper seizing and abuse of operator privileges and attempts to crash a host. The transmission or dissemination of any information or software that contains a virus, trojan horse, keystroke logger, worm or other harmful feature, is also prohibited.
The user is responsible for the security of any device connected to ResNet by the user, including data stored on that device. In particular, UVic recommends disabling file or printer sharing of all kinds. UVic recommends that any files or services made available for remote access be password-protected.
4. Electronic Mail
ResNet may not be used to send unsolicited bulk, commercial messages, or other "spam" (UVic reserves the right to determine, in its sole discretion, whether a message constitutes "spam"). This includes, but is not limited to, bulk mailing of commercial advertising, informational announcements, charity requests, petitions for signatures and political or religious messages via services such as, but not limited to, email, newsgroups, or multi-user interactive forums. Such messages may only be sent to those who have explicitly requested them.
ResNet may not be used to collect responses from unsolicited email sent from accounts on other Internet hosts or email services which violate these Terms of Service or the acceptable use policy of any other Internet service provider.
Mail bombing is prohibited. You may not send numerous copies of the same or substantially similar messages, nor may you send very large messages or files to a recipient with the intent to disrupt a server or account. The propagation of chain letters is prohibited, whether or not the recipient wishes to receive such mailings.
UVic is not responsible for the forwarding of email sent to any account that has been suspended or terminated. Such email will be returned to sender, ignored, deleted, or stored temporarily, at UVic's sole discretion.
5. Bandwidth and other Limitations
Users must comply with bandwidth, throughput and other limitations of ResNet.
Users must ensure that their activity does not improperly restrict, inhibit, or degrade any other users' access to ResNet, nor represent (in the sole judgment of UVic) an unusually large burden on the network itself, such as may be generated by unreserved use of peer-to-peer file sharing programs, serving streaming video or audio, mail, HTTP, FTP, IRC, DHCP servers, and multi-user interactive forums. In addition, users must ensure their activity does not improperly restrict, disrupt, inhibit, degrade, or impede UVic's ability to provide ResNet services and monitor ResNet, backbone, network nodes, and/or other network services.
ResNet services are intended for personal Internet and educational use. You may not use ResNet for commercial purposes. You may not run a commercial server in connection with ResNet, nor may you provide network services to others via ResNet. UVic reserves the sole right to define a server or service as private or commercial.
In order to maintain effective service levels for all users, bandwidth and throughput restrictions are enforced on traffic between individual ResNet users and the commercial Internet. There are currently (at 2005 August 16) no limitations on traffic between ResNet users and the campus network or external research networks. UVic reserves the right to modify bandwidth and throughput limitations for these and other resources, to maintain effective service levels for all users.
6. Violation of Terms of Service
UVic does not routinely monitor the activity of ResNet users for violations of these Terms of Service. However, in our efforts to promote good citizenship within the Internet, research and educational communities, we will respond appropriately if we become aware of inappropriate use of ResNet.
As circumstances dictate - in order to detect known vulnerabilities and compromised hosts for the protection of other ResNet, research, commercial Internet, and campus resources and to enforce these terms of service - UVic reserves the right to (i) monitor general network traffic and (ii) perform network-based vulnerability, compromise assessment, and policy compliance scans of systems and devices. UVic will not monitor the data of any specific user without the authorization of a Vice-President or Associate Vice-President.
If ResNet is used in a way in which UVic, in its sole discretion, believes violates these Terms of Service, UVic may take any responsive actions deemed appropriate. Such actions include, but are not limited to, (1) restricting a user's connection through the use of a quarantine/restricted access network, (2) temporarily disabling a user's network connection, (3) taking other actions outlined in the UVic Policy 6030 section on abuse of responsibilities. The above-described actions are not UVic's exclusive remedies and UVic may take any other legal or technical action it deems appropriate. UVic reserves the right to investigate suspected violations of these Terms of Service, through the gathering of information from the user or users involved and the complaining party, if any, and examination of material on UVic's servers and network.