Disclaimer & Acceptable Use Policy
By accessing, reading, or using any information from Shadow Protocol, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by the terms outlined on this page. If you do not agree, you must immediately cease use of this resource.
Educational Purpose Only
Shadow Protocol is provided strictly for educational and informational purposes. The content is designed to help security professionals, students, and researchers understand offensive security techniques in order to build better defenses.
This resource exists because defenders cannot protect against threats they don't understand. The techniques documented here are already publicly known and actively used by malicious actors. Our goal is to educate defenders, not enable attackers.
No Warranty & As-Is Provision
All content is provided "AS IS" without warranty of any kind, express or implied. The author(s) make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information presented. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk.
Complete Disclaimer of Liability
The author(s), contributor(s), and publisher(s) of Shadow Protocol shall not be held liable for any damages, losses, legal consequences, criminal charges, civil suits, or any other negative outcomes resulting from:
- The use or misuse of information contained within this resource
- Any actions taken based on the content provided
- Any unauthorized access to computer systems or networks
- Any violation of local, state, federal, or international law
- Any damage to systems, data, or infrastructure
- Any third-party claims arising from your use of this information
You assume full responsibility for your actions. The author(s) cannot control how readers choose to apply this knowledge and bear no responsibility for illegal, unethical, or unauthorized activities conducted by any individual who accesses this content.
Acceptable Use Requirements
You may only use the techniques and information described in Shadow Protocol in the following contexts:
Authorized Activities
- Personal Lab Environments: Systems you own and control completely
- Authorized Penetration Testing: With explicit written permission from the system owner
- Bug Bounty Programs: Within the defined scope of the program
- CTF Competitions: Capture The Flag events designed for security practice
- Academic Research: In controlled environments with proper oversight
- Professional Red Team Engagements: With proper contracts and authorization
- Defensive Security: Understanding attacks to build better defenses
Strictly Prohibited Activities
- Accessing systems without explicit authorization
- Testing techniques against production systems you don't own
- Any activity that violates computer crime laws
- Harassment, stalking, or targeting individuals
- Stealing, destroying, or encrypting others' data
- Financial fraud or theft of any kind
- Any activity causing harm to individuals or organizations
Applicable Laws
Unauthorized access to computer systems is a serious criminal offense. Relevant laws include but are not limited to:
United States
- Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) - 18 U.S.C. § 1030
- Electronic Communications Privacy Act
- State-specific computer crime statutes
International
- UK: Computer Misuse Act 1990
- EU: Convention on Cybercrime
- Australia: Criminal Code Act 1995
- Canada: Criminal Code Section 342.1
Violations can result in significant prison sentences, heavy fines, civil liability, and permanent criminal records. "I was just learning" is not a legal defense.
Authorization is Non-Negotiable
Before conducting any security testing, you MUST have explicit, written authorization from the system owner. This authorization should clearly define:
- Scope of systems and networks included
- Permitted testing techniques
- Testing timeframes
- Emergency contact procedures
- Data handling requirements
Verbal permission is insufficient. "I thought it was okay" will not protect you in court.
Your Responsibility
By using Shadow Protocol, you explicitly acknowledge and agree that:
- You are solely responsible for ensuring your activities comply with all applicable laws
- You will only practice techniques in environments you own or have explicit written permission to test
- You will not hold the author(s) responsible for any consequences of your actions
- You understand that ignorance of the law is not a defense
- You are of legal age in your jurisdiction to access this material
- You will use this knowledge ethically and responsibly
Indemnification
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the author(s), contributor(s), and any affiliated parties from and against any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or related to your use or misuse of the information provided in Shadow Protocol.
Severability
If any provision of this disclaimer is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision shall be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary so that this disclaimer shall otherwise remain in full force and effect.
Security education is vital for protecting our digital infrastructure. The author(s) believe that sharing knowledge about attack techniques helps the security community build stronger defenses. However, this knowledge comes with responsibility.
Use this knowledge to protect, not to harm. Build things, don't break them. Defend systems, don't attack them without permission.
If you choose to misuse this information, you do so entirely at your own risk and bear full legal responsibility for your actions. The author(s) explicitly disclaim any and all liability for such misuse.