Capterra Glossary
Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)
An acceptable use policy (AUP) is a business agreement between a computer resource user and the computer resource owner or administrator that addresses all of the rights, privileges, and rules that users must adhere to when using computer resources. AUPs are often used by corporations, public institutions, internet service providers (ISPs), and other organizations to ensure that the individuals who access their computer resources use them appropriately. By making computer resource users sign an AUP, businesses can prevent cybersecurity threats, ensure their users aren’t engaging in illegal activities, and avert employees from being distracted by internet-based entertainment sources.
What Small and Midsize Businesses Need to Know About Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)
Most cyberattackers target small and midsize corporations, considering most smaller businesses tend to lack the robust cybersecurity protections that large corporations have. Implementing an acceptable use policy (AUP) helps businesses inform their employees of the dangers of the unauthorized use of company computer resources and provide them with rules that explain how to use computer resources safely. This can help prevent computing activities that contribute to company system/network vulnerabilities and ultimately assist organizations with the prevention of cyberattacks.
Related Terms
- Synchronous
- Software as a Service (SaaS)
- Intranet
- Security Orchestration, Automation and Response (SOAR)
- Identity and Access Management (IAM)
- Managed Service Provider (MSP)
- Haptics
- WAN (Wide-Area Network)
- Service-oriented Architecture (SOA)
- Augmented Reality (AR)
- Chief Information Officer (CIO)
- Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)
- Platform as a Service (PaaS)
- Service-Level Agreement (SLA)
- Scalability
- Data Center
- Authorization
- Multitenancy