Anti-Piracy & Intellectual Property Policy

1. Purpose and Scope

This Anti-Piracy and Intellectual Property Policy ("Policy") sets out Maestra Tech Ltd's position on intellectual property rights, software licensing, and digital piracy. It establishes the obligations of all employees, contractors, clients, and authorised users in relation to intellectual property that belongs to Maestra Tech, to clients, and to third parties.

This Policy operates in two directions:

• Outward-facing — setting out how Maestra Tech protects its own intellectual property from misuse by clients, contractors, and third parties
• Inward-facing — setting out the obligations of Maestra Tech personnel and clients to respect the intellectual property rights of third parties, including software vendors, content creators, and tool providers used in the delivery of services

This Policy applies to all Maestra Tech employees, directors, and contractors; all clients engaging Maestra Tech under a signed Statement of Work or service agreement; and any third party granted access to Maestra Tech systems or who uses Maestra Tech deliverables.

2. Legal Framework

3. Maestra Tech Intellectual Property

3.1 What Maestra Tech Owns

The following categories of intellectual property are owned by Maestra Tech and protected under the CDPA 1988 and, where applicable, the Trade Marks Act 1994:

• Methodologies and diagnostic frameworks for email deliverability assessment, DMARC policy progression, and email authentication implementation
• Configuration templates for SPF, DKIM, DMARC, MTA-STS, TLS-RPT, and BIMI records
• Proprietary tooling, scripts, and automation developed by Maestra Tech
• Audit report templates, deliverable formats, and advisory document structures
• Training materials, guides, and educational content produced by Maestra Tech
• The Maestra Tech brand name, logo, visual identity, and domain assets (maestra-tech.com)
• All original written content published by Maestra Tech, including website copy, LinkedIn content, and marketing materials

Copyright subsists automatically on creation under section 1 of the CDPA 1988 and does not require registration. No licence to use, copy, reproduce, or distribute any of the above is granted except as expressly set out in a signed engagement agreement.

3.2 What Clients Receive

Where Maestra Tech produces deliverables specifically for a client under a signed SOW, the client receives a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to use those deliverables for their own internal business purposes. This licence does not transfer ownership of any Maestra Tech Background IP, does not permit sublicencing or resale, and terminates automatically on expiry or termination of the engagement.

4. Prohibited Conduct in Relation to Maestra Tech IP

The following acts in relation to Maestra Tech's intellectual property are strictly prohibited for clients, contractors, and any other authorised users:

• Copying, reproducing, or distributing Maestra Tech's configuration templates, audit frameworks, training materials, or methodology documentation to any third party without prior written consent
• Using deliverables produced under one engagement as the basis for providing email security or deliverability services to a third party
• Passing off Maestra Tech's work, methodologies, or outputs as the client's own proprietary materials
• Removing, obscuring, or altering any copyright notice, proprietary marking, or attribution included in any Maestra Tech document or deliverable
• Republishing, reposting, or rebranding Maestra Tech's written content without prior written permission
• Registering or using any trade mark, domain name, or trading style that is confusingly similar to the Maestra Tech brand without consent
• Reverse-engineering or decompiling any Maestra Tech tooling or software

Where a client is found to have committed any of the above, Maestra Tech reserves the right to terminate the engagement immediately, seek an injunction, claim damages under the CDPA 1988, and report the conduct to relevant authorities where it constitutes a criminal offence under the Digital Economy Act 2017.

5. Obligations Regarding Third-Party Intellectual Property

5.1 General Obligations

All Maestra Tech employees, contractors, and clients must respect the intellectual property rights of third parties, including:

• Not reproducing, copying, or distributing third-party content without a valid licence or other legal basis
• Not using third-party trade marks, logos, or brand assets in a manner that implies affiliation or endorsement without permission
• Complying with the terms of all licences governing third-party software, platforms, and tools
• Not circumventing technological protection measures (TPMs) applied to third-party content or software — this constitutes an offence under section 296 of the CDPA 1988

5.2 Software Licensing

Maestra Tech requires that all software used in the delivery of its services is properly licensed. Maestra Tech maintains an internal software asset register covering all tools, platforms, and applications used in service delivery. No software will be installed on Maestra Tech systems from unlicensed, cracked, or otherwise unauthorised sources.

5.3 Open Source Software

Where Maestra Tech uses or recommends open source software, it ensures compliance with the applicable open source licence (e.g. MIT, GPL, Apache 2.0), including any attribution, copyleft, or distribution requirements. Clients who implement open source tools recommended by Maestra Tech are solely responsible for their own compliance with the applicable open source licence terms.

6. Digital Piracy

6.1 What Constitutes Piracy

For the purposes of this Policy, digital piracy includes any of the following acts carried out without the authorisation of the relevant rights holder:

• Downloading, copying, or distributing software, applications, or tools
• Reproducing or distributing written works, reports, guides, or documentation
• Scraping, harvesting, or bulk-downloading content from third-party websites or platforms in a manner that violates those platforms' terms of service or the CDPA 1988
• Creating, distributing, or using serial numbers, key generators, licence bypasses, or cracked software
• Sharing access credentials to licensed platforms in a manner that exceeds the permitted number of users under the relevant licence

Under the Digital Economy Act 2017, online copyright infringement carries criminal penalties of up to 10 years' imprisonment. Maestra Tech will not knowingly facilitate, assist, or ignore acts of digital piracy by any employee, contractor, or client.

6.2 Prohibition on Use of Pirated Resources

The following are expressly prohibited for all Maestra Tech employees and contractors:

• Installing or using pirated, cracked, or unlicensed software on any device used for Maestra Tech work, whether company-owned or personal (BYOD)
• Downloading or using unlicensed copies of industry tools, including DMARC analysis platforms, email testing services, DNS management tools, or deliverability monitoring software
• Accessing third-party proprietary research, reports, or databases through unlicensed means
• Using content from third-party websites or publications in Maestra Tech deliverables without verifying the applicable licence

7. Confidential Information and Trade Secrets

The law of confidence under English common law, alongside the CDPA 1988 and UK GDPR, protects confidential information shared between the parties. Neither party shall disclose the other's confidential information to any third party without prior written consent, except where required by law or regulatory authority. These obligations survive the termination or expiry of any engagement for a period of five (5) years.

8. AI-Generated Content and Tools

8.1 Maestra Tech's Use of AI Tools

Where Maestra Tech uses AI tools in the delivery of services:

• Only AI tools for which a valid commercial or business licence is held will be used in client-facing work
• Maestra Tech will not use AI tools trained on client confidential data, client personal data, or proprietary third-party datasets without appropriate authorisation
• AI-generated content included in client deliverables will be reviewed and validated by a Maestra Tech professional before delivery
• Maestra Tech will not claim copyright ownership over content that is exclusively AI-generated where UK law does not support such a claim

8.2 Client Use of AI Tools

Where clients use AI tools that interact with Maestra Tech deliverables, configurations, or reports:

• Clients must ensure that any AI tool they use to process Maestra Tech deliverables does so in compliance with applicable copyright law
• Clients must not input Maestra Tech's proprietary methodologies, templates, or unpublished materials into public-facing AI systems in a manner that would make that content available to third parties
• Where a client uses AI tools to generate email content to be sent through infrastructure configured by Maestra Tech, the client remains solely responsible for ensuring that content complies with all applicable law

9. Brand Protection and Domain Integrity

9.1 Maestra Tech Brand

No person may use the Maestra Tech name, logo, or visual identity in a manner that implies Maestra Tech's endorsement, affiliation, or partnership without prior written consent. No person may register a domain name, social media handle, or company name that is confusingly similar to Maestra Tech. Maestra Tech monitors for lookalike domains and brand impersonation as part of its general security posture.

9.2 Client Domain Protection

Where Maestra Tech is engaged to configure DMARC and email authentication for a client domain, it does so in part to protect the client's domain from impersonation and brand abuse. Clients should be aware that DMARC enforcement (p=reject) is the primary technical mechanism for preventing unauthorised use of a domain in email, but does not constitute a legal remedy against domain impersonation — that is a separate legal matter.

10. Reporting and Enforcement

10.1 Reporting Suspected Piracy or IP Infringement

Any employee, contractor, or client who becomes aware of actual or suspected piracy or IP infringement should report this promptly to [email protected]. Maestra Tech will acknowledge reports within 2 business days and will investigate all reports in good faith. Reports are treated confidentially; there is no retaliation against good-faith reporters.

10.2 Maestra Tech's Enforcement Rights

Where Maestra Tech identifies or is notified of an infringement of its intellectual property, it reserves the right to:

• Issue a formal cease and desist notice to the infringing party
• Apply for an injunction in the courts of England and Wales to prevent further infringement
• Claim damages under the CDPA 1988, including additional damages under section 97(2) where the infringement is flagrant
• Report the conduct to the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU), the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT), or other relevant enforcement authorities
• Suspend or terminate the relevant engagement immediately and without liability to the infringing party

10.3 Consequences of Breach for Personnel

Maestra Tech employees or contractors found to have committed or facilitated an act of piracy or IP infringement may face formal disciplinary proceedings up to and including termination, personal civil liability under the CDPA 1988 or Trade Marks Act 1994, and criminal prosecution under the Digital Economy Act 2017 (up to 10 years' imprisonment for serious online copyright infringement).

11. Interaction with Other Policies

This Policy should be read alongside:

• MT-POL-AUP-001 — Acceptable Use Policy — which governs permitted and prohibited use of Maestra Tech systems, DNS access, and email infrastructure
• MT-POL-REF-001 — Refund and Cancellation Policy — which governs the financial consequences of engagement termination, including termination arising from IP infringement
• Any Data Processing Agreement entered into in connection with a client engagement

12. General Provisions

12.1 Governing Law and Jurisdiction

This Policy and any disputes arising in connection with it are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales, except that either party may seek urgent injunctive or other interim relief in any court of competent jurisdiction.

12.2 Severability

If any provision of this Policy is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, that provision shall be deemed deleted and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

12.3 Policy Review

This Policy will be reviewed annually, or sooner in response to significant changes in UK intellectual property law, digital economy legislation, or Maestra Tech's service offerings. Material changes will be communicated to active clients in writing not less than 30 days before taking effect.

13. Contact Details

© 2026 Maestra Tech Ltd. All rights reserved. This document is confidential and intended for client and internal use only.