Terms of Service

Effective Date: May 13, 2026 Version: 1.0 Applicable to: AXUM SEC Platform (www.axumsec.com)

1. Introduction

Welcome to AXUM SEC. These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the AXUM SEC platform, website, and related services (collectively, the "Platform"). The Platform is owned and operated by AXUM SEC PLC ("Company", "we", "us", "our").

By registering for, accessing, or using the Platform, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not use the Platform.

These Terms apply to:

Clients: Organizations that create bug bounty or PTaaS programs
Hunters: Security researchers who submit vulnerability reports
Visitors: Any person accessing the Platform

2. Definitions

Term	Definition
Platform	The AXUM SEC bug bounty and vulnerability management website, API, and related services
Client	An organization that creates a program on the Platform
Hunter	A security researcher registered on the Platform
Program	A bug bounty, vulnerability disclosure, or PTaaS engagement created by a Client
Vulnerability	A security weakness, flaw, or bug in a Client's systems
Report	A submission by a Hunter describing a Vulnerability
Bounty	A monetary reward paid to a Hunter for a valid Vulnerability report
Valid Report	A Report that is confirmed as an actual, exploitable Vulnerability within the Program scope
Scope	The systems, assets, and testing parameters defined by the Client
Confidential Information	Non-public information about Vulnerabilities, Programs, or Client systems
KYC	Know Your Customer - identity verification process

3. Account Registration

3.1 Eligibility

To register for an account, you must:

Be at least 18 years of age
Provide accurate, complete, and current registration information
Not be prohibited from using the Platform under applicable law
For Clients: Have authority to bind your organization

3.2 Account Types

Account Type	Description	Requirements
Client Account	For organizations creating Programs	Email verification, company details, KYC for bounty programs
Hunter Account	For security researchers submitting Reports	Email verification, KYC for bounty eligibility
Enterprise Account	For large organizations with custom needs	Additional verification, contract signed

3.3 Account Security

You are responsible for:

Maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials
All activities that occur under your account
Notifying us immediately of any unauthorized access
Using strong passwords and enabling MFA where available

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that are compromised or used in violation of these Terms.

4. Client Terms

4.1 Creating a Program

Clients may create Programs on the Platform. Each Program must include:

Clear Scope (in-scope and out-of-scope assets)
Reward ranges by severity
Program rules and disclosure policy
Response SLAs

4.2 Client Obligations

Clients agree to:

Respond to Reports within the published SLA timeframes
Pay bounties for valid Reports as promised
Not retaliate against Hunters who follow Program rules
Maintain accurate and up-to-date Program information
Comply with all applicable laws, including data protection laws
Not submit false or misleading Reports or engage in malicious testing
Respect Client intellectual property and confidentiality

4.6 Prohibited Activities

No user shall:

Test systems without proper authorization
Disrupt or degrade services (DoS/DDoS attacks)
Access, modify, or delete data without permission
Install malware, backdoors, or persistent access
Use automated tools that cause service disruption
Engage in extortion or threats
Impersonate Company or Client personnel
Share non-public Vulnerability information without authorization

Violation of these prohibitions may result in:

Immediate account termination
Forfeiture of earned or pending bounties
Reporting to law enforcement authorities
Legal action under applicable laws including computer crime legislation

10. Intellectual Property

10.1 Our Intellectual Property

The Platform, including its code, design, logos, and content, is owned by AXUM SEC PLC and protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. You may not copy, modify, distribute, or reverse engineer any part of the Platform without our prior written consent.

10.2 Your Content

Client Program Data: You retain ownership of your Program data. You grant us a license to use, display, and share this data as necessary to operate the Platform.
Hunter Reports: You retain ownership of your Reports. You grant the applicable Client a license to use the Report for remediation purposes. You grant us a license to use, analyze, and share Reports as necessary to operate the Platform.

10.3 Platform Improvements

We may use aggregated, anonymized data from the Platform to improve our services, train AI models, and develop new features. This data will not identify you personally.

11. Confidentiality

11.1 Definition of Confidential Information

"Confidential Information" includes, but is not limited to:

Vulnerability details and Reports
Client system architecture and scope information
Non-public Program rules and bounties
Hunter identities (unless disclosed with consent)
Platform security vulnerabilities
Business and financial information

11.2 Obligations

Both Clients and Hunters agree to:

Use Confidential Information only for Platform purposes
Not disclose Confidential Information to third parties without consent
Protect Confidential Information using reasonable security measures
Not use Confidential Information for any competitive or malicious purpose

11.3 Duration

Confidentiality obligations survive termination of your account and continue for 5 years thereafter, or indefinitely for trade secrets.

12. Fees and Payments

12.1 Client Fees

Clients agree to pay:

Platform subscription fees as selected during Program setup
Platform fees (percentage of bounties paid) as specified in the selected Program type
Any applicable taxes as required by law
Overages for additional assets, API calls, or services

Fees are billed monthly in advance unless otherwise agreed. Fees are non-refundable except as expressly provided.

12.2 Hunter Bounties

Hunters earn bounties for valid Reports. Bounties are determined by:

Severity of the Vulnerability (Critical, High, Medium, Low, Informational)
Quality and completeness of the Report
Client's published reward ranges

Bounties are paid within 30 days of Report validation. Minimum payout threshold is $50 USD or equivalent.

12.3 Payment Methods

We accept payments via:

Credit Card
Bank Transfer (ACH, Wire)
Ethiopian Birr (local bank transfer)
Cryptocurrency (selected currencies)
Wallet balance (prepaid)

13. Termination

13.1 Termination by You

You may terminate your account at any time by contacting support@axumsec.com. Upon termination:

Your access to the Platform ceases
You are not entitled to refunds for prepaid fees
Hunters forfeit unvested bounties for pending Reports

13.2 Termination by Us

We may suspend or terminate your account immediately for:

Violation of these Terms
Fraud, abuse, or illegal activity
Non-payment of fees
Actions that harm the Platform or other users

13.3 Effect of Termination

Upon termination:

All outstanding fees become immediately due
You must delete any Platform data in your possession
Confidentiality obligations survive
Accrued rights and remedies survive

14. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. WE DO NOT WARRANT THAT:

THE PLATFORM WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, SECURE, OR ERROR-FREE
VULNERABILITIES WILL BE DETECTED OR PREVENTED
THE PLATFORM WILL MEET YOUR SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, WE DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

15. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW:

IN NO EVENT SHALL OUR TOTAL LIABILITY TO YOU EXCEED THE AMOUNT YOU PAID US IN THE PRECEDING 12 MONTHS, OR $500 IF YOU HAVE NOT PAID US
WE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES
WE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES ARISING FROM UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR USE OF YOUR DATA
WE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY VULNERABILITIES NOT DISCOVERED THROUGH THE PLATFORM

THIS LIMITATION APPLIES REGARDLESS OF THE LEGAL THEORY AND WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

16. Indemnification

16.1 By Clients

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless AXUM SEC, its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or relating to:

Your breach of these Terms
Your violation of applicable law
Your testing activities or Reports (if false or malicious)
Your use of the Platform

16.2 By Hunters

You agree to indemnify AXUM SEC from claims arising out of:

False or fraudulent Reports submitted with malicious intent
Testing conducted outside authorized Scope
Violation of confidentiality obligations
Breach of applicable laws including computer crime legislation

17. Dispute Resolution

17.1 Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, without regard to its conflict of laws principles.

17.2 Dispute Resolution Process

Step	Process	Timeline
1	Informal Negotiation	30 days
2	Mediation (if negotiation fails)	60 days
3	Arbitration (if mediation fails)	90 days
4	Court (if arbitration fails)	As required

17.3 Arbitration

Any dispute not resolved through negotiation or mediation shall be submitted to binding arbitration in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in accordance with the rules of the Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations. The arbitration decision shall be final and binding on both parties.

17.4 No Class Actions

You agree to resolve disputes on an individual basis. You waive the right to participate in class actions, class arbitrations, or representative actions.

18. Modifications to Terms

We may modify these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be notified:

By email to registered users
By posting on the Platform
By requiring acknowledgment on login

Your continued use of the Platform after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the modified Terms. If you do not agree, you must stop using the Platform and terminate your account.

19. General Provisions

19.1 Entire Agreement

These Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and AXUM SEC regarding the Platform and supersede all prior agreements.

19.2 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

19.3 Waiver

Our failure to enforce any right or provision shall not constitute a waiver of that right or provision.

19.4 Assignment

You may not assign these Terms without our prior written consent. We may assign these Terms without restriction.

19.5 Force Majeure

We shall not be liable for delays or failures in performance resulting from causes beyond our reasonable control, including natural disasters, war, terrorism, labor disputes, and government actions.

20. Contact Information

Purpose	Contact
Legal and Terms Inquiries	legal@axumsec.com
Support	support@axumsec.com
Security Concerns	security@axumsec.com
Phone	+251943733593
Address	Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

21. Acknowledgment

BY REGISTERING FOR, ACCESSING, OR USING THE AXUM SEC PLATFORM, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE READ, UNDERSTOOD, AND AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THESE TERMS OF SERVICE.

For questions or concerns, please contact: Click Here hello@axumsec.com