Acceptable Use Policy

Last updated: November 24, 2025

This Acceptable Use Policy (“AUP”) describes activities that are prohibited when using OpenMQTT (“the Service”). This AUP applies to all users and all MQTT brokers created under an account. By using the Service, you agree to this AUP.

1. General Principles

The Service is designed for:

  • hobby projects
  • prototyping
  • maker applications
  • education and research
  • non-critical IoT solutions

You must not use the Service for any activity that violates law, harms the platform, or puts people at risk.

2. Prohibited Uses

2.1 Critical or Safety-Critical Systems

You may NOT use OpenMQTT for:

  • medical devices or patient monitoring
  • life-support or emergency equipment
  • vehicle/drone/autonomous systems
  • fire alarms, security alarms or access control
  • industrial machinery where failure may cause injury
  • any system where MQTT failure could endanger people

OpenMQTT is not a real-time guaranteed or safety-certified service.

2.2 Illegal or Harmful Activity

You must not use the Service to:

  • engage in illegal activity
  • distribute malware or harmful software
  • perform unauthorized access to devices or networks
  • harvest personal data without consent
  • control or monitor individuals illegally
  • violate privacy or data protection laws

2.3 Network Abuse

The following is strictly prohibited:

  • sending excessive or abusive MQTT traffic
  • attempting denial-of-service attacks
  • exploiting service limits or trying to bypass quotas
  • running stress tests, load tests or fuzzing
  • brute-force attacks against MQTT credentials
  • using the platform to host command-and-control systems

2.4 SPAM or Misuse

You must not:

  • generate spam messages
  • flood topics
  • create looping message storms
  • run cryptomining, botnets or automation abuse through brokers

2.5 Dangerous Physical Automations

Automation that may cause physical risk if messages are delayed, lost or duplicated is strictly forbidden. Examples:

  • controlling heaters without safety constraints
  • controlling pumps or valves without fallback
  • controlling electrical relays with high-risk outputs

3. Resource Usage Limits

You agree to comply with:

  • plan limits
  • message quotas
  • bandwidth limits
  • connection/session limits
  • fair use standards

We may throttle, restrict or suspend accounts exceeding acceptable usage.

4. Security Requirements

You must:

  • secure your devices and firmware
  • use strong passwords
  • avoid sharing credentials
  • not expose your broker credentials publicly

5. Enforcement

We may take the following actions:

  • warn the user with in-app notification
  • suspend or revoke device(s) and workspaces
  • throttle or limit traffic
  • terminate accounts
  • report illegal activity to authorities

We determine violations at our sole discretion.

6. Changes to the AUP

We may update this AUP from time to time. Continued use of the Service constitutes acceptance of changes.

7. Contact

Questions about this AUP: abuse@openmqtt.com