I logged into the file manager for my web hosting service and noticed a banner note at the top.

Reminder: The Terms of Service does not allow inappropriate use of our network for online storage. Please see “UNLIMITED” USAGE POLICIES AND DEFINITIONS for more information. Files uploaded in connection with your hosted site are always welcome. For approved online backup services please visit the Partners section of cPanel.

I’ve clicked on the link to the Terms of Service (removed for this posting), and sure enough, me using my space to back up files from my home computer wasn’t authorized.   Oops.  I missed that provision.

As a result, I transferred the files I’d backed up down to my 1T external backup drive for the Mac Mini.  Then I deleted them from the site.   I’ll have to find another alternative for my off-site storage.  I don’t want to have my service terminated for violating an agreement I’d misread (or have they changed it recently, and I didn’t notice?) or, perhaps, not read completely enough.

This is a reminder that blindly clicking on those service agreements, terms of service, and software licensing pop-ups you have to get through to be able to use whatever it is you want to use may not be in your best interest.  They’re worthy of a read before clicking, because you never know when those terms may be untenable to you.  The time to find out is BEFORE you agree to it.

I still have more work to do.  This is what got me looking in the first place.  I use WordPress, and I need to check a few implementations and probably improve some of my practices.  I guess it’s a good thing, but my has has implemented a requirement for stronger passwords.  I don’t know if they’re requiring them to be changed periodically or if I just his the wrong button, but I had to change my password today — and it’s been about the right amount of time since they prompted me to change it last time so I’m wondering.  This is mildly annoying, but, frankly, it’s a good thing.

I’ll be working back-end maintenance for the next couple days, but you shouldn’t see anything unusual.  (If you noticed I was down Friday evening for a little while, that was related to the password change issue.  I think I’ve corrected that.)