Terms of Service

Effective Date: April 22, 2026

1. Acceptance of Terms

Welcome to CIP Sentinel (cipsentinel.com). These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the Site, including the community forum, newsletter, RSS feed, and all content. By accessing or using the Site, creating an account, or subscribing to the newsletter, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use the Site.

2. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old to create a community forum account. By creating an account, you represent that you are 18 or older. The Site is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect information from children under 13.

3. User Accounts

  • You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your password.
  • You are responsible for all activity that occurs under your account.
  • You may not share your account with others or create multiple accounts to circumvent restrictions.
  • You must provide accurate, current information at registration and keep it updated.
  • We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms.

4. Intellectual Property

4.1 Our Content

All original content on the Site — including articles, summaries, design, logos, and code — is owned by CIP Sentinel or licensed to us, and is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. Excerpts from third-party sources (regulatory filings, vendor advisories, news reports) are reproduced under the fair use doctrine (17 U.S.C. § 107) with attribution.

4.2 Your Content

You retain ownership of any content you post in the community forum or submit to us ("User Content"). By posting User Content, you grant CIP Sentinel a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, transferable license to use, reproduce, modify, publish, and display that content in connection with operating the Site.

4.3 Trademark Notice

NERC, FERC, CISA, and all vendor product names and logos are trademarks of their respective owners. Reference to these trademarks does not imply endorsement or affiliation.

5. User-Generated Content and Acceptable Use

You agree not to post, upload, or share User Content that:

  • Violates any law or regulation
  • Contains malware, exploit code, or operational attack tools
  • Contains personal information of others without consent (doxxing)
  • Contains classified or export-controlled information
  • Harasses, threatens, or impersonates any person or entity
  • Infringes any intellectual property right
  • Constitutes spam, unsolicited advertising, or self-promotion
  • Is obscene, defamatory, or otherwise objectionable

See our full Acceptable Use Policy. We reserve the right to remove any User Content and suspend or terminate accounts at our discretion, with or without notice.

6. Newsletter

By subscribing, you consent to receive emails from CIP Sentinel. Each email includes a one-click unsubscribe link. We comply with the CAN-SPAM Act and process unsubscribe requests within 10 business days.

7. Third-Party Links and Content

The Site contains links to third-party websites and reproduces excerpts from third-party sources. We do not endorse, control, or verify third-party content. We are not responsible for the accuracy, legality, or availability of third-party sites. Your use of third-party sites is at your own risk.

8. Disclaimers

The Site is provided on an "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE" basis. Content is published for general informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, compliance, security, or professional advice. No information on this Site should be relied upon as a substitute for consultation with qualified professionals.

We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, regarding the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability of any information on the Site. Threat intelligence and vulnerability information may change rapidly; always verify with primary sources before taking action.

9. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, CIP SENTINEL SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION LOSS OF PROFITS, DATA, OR GOODWILL, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR USE OF THE SITE, EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

Our total aggregate liability for any claim arising out of or relating to the Site is limited to one hundred U.S. dollars ($100).

10. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless CIP Sentinel from and against any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or in connection with (a) your use of the Site, (b) your User Content, (c) your violation of these Terms, or (d) your violation of any law or third-party right.

11. DMCA / Copyright Infringement

We respect intellectual property rights and respond to valid DMCA takedown notices. See our DMCA Policy for the procedure to submit a notice.

12. Termination

We may suspend or terminate your access to the Site or your account at any time, with or without notice, for any reason including violation of these Terms. Upon termination, your right to use the Site ceases immediately. Sections 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 13, and 14 survive termination.

13. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms are governed by the laws of the United States and the state in which the Site operator resides, without regard to conflict-of-law principles. Any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Site shall be resolved through binding arbitration conducted in English, on an individual basis. You waive any right to participate in a class action or class arbitration.

14. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be announced via a banner on the Site or an email to subscribers. Your continued use after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

15. Miscellaneous

If any provision of these Terms is held invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in full effect. Our failure to enforce any right does not waive that right. These Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and CIP Sentinel regarding the Site.

16. Contact

Questions about these Terms? Contact legal@cipsentinel.com.