# Acceptable Use Policy

| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| **Document ID** | POL-005 |
| **Version** | 1.0 |
| **Status** | Draft — Pending approval |
| **Owner** | Information Security Officer (ISO) |
| **Effective Date** | _Pending approval_ |
| **Review Cycle** | Annual |
| **ISO 27001 Reference** | A.6.2 — Terms and conditions of employment; A.5.10 — Acceptable use |

Related: [Information Security Policy](./information-security-policy.md) | [Access Control Policy](./access-control-policy.md)

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## 1. Purpose

This policy defines acceptable and unacceptable use of Tender Management System resources, data, and infrastructure by employees, contractors, and third parties.

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## 2. Scope

Applies to anyone who:

- Accesses TM production, staging, or development environments
- Handles TM source code, configuration, or customer/company data
- Uses company-issued or personal devices to perform TM-related work
- Integrates third-party services with TM APIs

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## 3. Acceptable Use

Personnel **may**:

- Access systems and data required for their assigned role
- Use company-approved tools for development, testing, and deployment
- Store TM source code only in authorized Git repositories
- Use staging environments for testing with synthetic or anonymized data
- Report security concerns or suspected incidents without retaliation
- Work remotely using VPN/bastion access as configured by DevOps

---

## 4. Unacceptable Use

Personnel **must not**:

### 4.1 Data Handling

- Copy production PII to personal devices, unauthorized cloud storage, or local unencrypted files
- Share customer or company data with unauthorized persons
- Use production data for development/testing without anonymization approval
- Export bulk data without business justification and ISO approval

### 4.2 Credentials & Access

- Share passwords, API keys, JWT tokens, or SSH keys
- Commit secrets, credentials, or `.env` files with production values to Git
- Use personal accounts for production system access
- Bypass authentication, authorization, or audit controls
- Leave privileged sessions unattended

### 4.3 Systems & Network

- Install unauthorized software on production or staging servers
- Run penetration tests against production without written ISO approval
- Introduce malware, unauthorized scripts, or unvetted dependencies
- Disable security controls (logging, rate limiting, firewalls) without approval
- Mine cryptocurrency or use TM infrastructure for non-business purposes

### 4.4 Development Practices

- Push directly to production branches without peer review
- Deploy untested code to production
- Ignore critical security scan findings without documented risk acceptance
- Log passwords, tokens, or full PII in application logs

### 4.5 Third Parties

- Grant vendor access beyond minimum required scope
- Share API credentials with unauthorized integrators
- Use unapproved AI/LLM tools to process production customer data without DPO review

---

## 5. Device and Remote Work Requirements

| Requirement | Detail |
|-------------|--------|
| Screen lock | Enabled when unattended (≤ 5 min) |
| Full-disk encryption | Required on devices accessing production |
| OS updates | Security patches applied within 30 days |
| Antivirus | Company-approved endpoint protection where applicable |
| Public Wi-Fi | VPN required for production access |

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## 6. Email and Communication

- Do not transmit passwords or API keys via email or chat
- Use approved secure channels for credential delivery
- Report phishing attempts to ISO immediately

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## 7. Monitoring and Privacy

The organization reserves the right to monitor use of TM systems and company equipment to:

- Detect security incidents
- Ensure policy compliance
- Protect information assets

Monitoring is conducted in accordance with applicable privacy laws and employment agreements.

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## 8. Consequences

Violations may result in:

| Severity | Consequence |
|----------|-------------|
| Minor / first offense | Written warning; mandatory retraining |
| Moderate | Suspension of access; formal disciplinary action |
| Severe (data breach, intentional misuse) | Termination; legal action; regulatory reporting |

All violations involving data exposure follow the [Incident Response Plan](./incident-response-plan.md).

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## 9. Acknowledgment

All personnel must sign or electronically acknowledge this policy:

- Upon onboarding (before production access is granted)
- Annually thereafter
- When materially updated

Records retained by HR/ISO for **3 years**.

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## 10. Document Control

| Version | Date | Author | Changes |
|---------|------|--------|---------|
| 1.0 | 2026-06-11 | Engineering | Initial policy |

**Approval**

| Role | Name | Signature | Date |
|------|------|-----------|------|
| ISO | _Pending_ | | |
| Executive Sponsor | _Pending_ | | |
