Discord Bans
Ryan Gordon avatar
Written by Ryan Gordon
Updated over a week ago

The Hack The Box Discord was created to be a place where infosec professionals, amateur hackers, security engineers, and all others interested in the field of cybersecurity could come and gather. It is both invaluable as a resource and the heart of the community.

To ensure continued smooth operation, the Discord is moderated and has rules that everyone must follow. Failing to abide by these rules may result in a warning, mute, kick, or ban.

Please note, bans on Discord that pass a certain degree of severity are replicated to HTB Labs, meaning that if you are banned from the Hack The Box Discord, you will not be able to use HTB Labs or any other product of Hack The Box until you successfully appeal the ban by reaching out to the Support team.


HTB General Rules

As always, you must follow the rules of the HTB Labs. Do not break or encourage anyone to break any of the following rules:

  1. Don't try to hack anything apart from the targets in the Hack The Box Network.

    Limit all your curiosity to the IP or the entry point provided to you.

  2. Don't hack machines apart from the intended ones.

    It's not the end of the world if you try to hack gateways and other nodes on the Hack The Box VPN (10.10.10.0/24), but if you succeed, don't do any damage and inform us ASAP.

  3. Any form of DoS (Denial of Service) is forbidden.

    There is no reason to use any form of DoS on any machine inside or outside of the Hack The Box private network. If you accidentally perform such an attack, let us know ASAP.

  4. Don't try to hack other members.

    The network is built in such a way that direct communication between two member systems is prohibited. Although there are ways to attack another member, attacking or even connecting to other member`s clients is strictly prohibited.

  5. Don't use your production PC to connect to Hack The Box private network.

    We strongly recommend not to use your production PC to connect to the Hack The Box VPN. Build a VM or physical system just for this purpose. The Hack The Box community is filled with security enthusiasts that have the skills and toolsets to hack systems, and no matter how hard we try to secure you, we are likely to fail.

    We do not hold any responsibility for any damage, theft, or loss of personal data, although we will cooperate fully with the authorities in such an event.

  6. Streaming.

    You can only upload, stream videos and publish solutions in any format only for retired content of Hack The Box or free Academy modules. In detail, this includes the following Hack The Box content:

    • Retired Machines

    • Retired Challenges

    • Retired Endgames

    • Starting Point Machines

    • Tier 0 Academy Modules

    Any streaming or publication of Hack The Box content solutions not mentioned in the list above is considered a violation of our Terms of Service. Legal actions will be taken against the content and the owner of this material if the content is deemed to violate the Terms of Service.

  7. Don't spoil.

    Don't share how you hacked each machine with other members. This includes the invite code generation and all challenges.

These are the basic guidelines for using Hack The Box products in general. They must be abided by across the Hack The Box product suite.


HTB Discord Rules

In addition to the standard Hack The Box platform rules, the discord has its own specific set of rules.

  1. Do not be a troll.

    We are here to have fun, discuss everything Hack The Box offers, communicate with each other, exchange ideas, and learn everything about hacking and cybersecurity. We are not here to offend or be offended. If you cannot behave according to the guidelines, you cannot stay. Behavior that is seen as trolling, disruptive or toxic within any channel is not acceptable. This includes giving fake advice or post potentially dangerous commands.

  2. Keep everything “Safe For Work.”

    This means absolutely no adult material, no suggestive material, and no material of strong political or religious character. If in doubt, do not post it, and generally assume that the channels have children as young as 13 and their concerned parents reading your messages.

  3. Be respectful of differences.

    There will be absolutely no hateful, disrespectful, or offensive language or messages directed towards people's differences. This includes but is not limited to any aspects of the LGBT+ community, religious or political beliefs, hobbies, physical or mental disabilities.

  4. Keep it legal.

    Do not request, suggest, perform, promote, or in other ways or shape discuss illegal activities. We respect and follow the Discord Terms of Service and the Hack The Box Terms of Service and do not hesitate escalating matters appropriately if we deem it necessary. If in doubt, ask a Community Administrator before posting or don’t post it at all.

  5. Keep it English.

    Unless otherwise dictated by the channel, please keep all communication in English.

  6. Do not impersonate other members.

    This is very illegal in real life, and it goes without saying that it should not happen here either.

  7. Do not advertise.

    Any advertisement of other Discord servers, communities in general, personal businesses, or anything that will financially benefit the author must be approved by an Administrator first. If in doubt whether or not something is an advertisement, always consult with a Staff member first.

  8. Do not DM people without their prior permission.

    This includes asking for hints for solving a Machine or a Challenge to limit the risk of spoiling for the other person. However, you can always privately message a Moderator or an Administrator without asking, however not to get help with content (unless invited to do so).

  9. Follow the direction of the moderating team.

    The Moderators and Administrators are here to ensure that everyone has a pleasant and enjoyable experience on the Hack The Box Discord. Actions coming from the team are aligned with Hack The Box that tries to keep the community happy, safe, and toxic-free. To keep this balance, it may sometimes be necessary for a moderating team member to step in and direct the conversation or members involved onto a different topic.

  10. Names must be readable, taggable, and non-disturbing.

    Due to "popular demand," messed-up usernames and nicknames will not be tolerated. This includes, but is not limited to, names that consist only of non-ASCII symbols, zalgo-variations, unicode "art," and names written primarily with non-English letters Russian and Arabic.

  11. No ban evasion.

    Do not attempt to bypass a ban by creating alternate accounts. If alt accounts are discovered, they will be banned upon identification in line with the original ban, and Moderators, Administrators, or Staff will extend the ban.


Appealing a Ban

While the above rules are extensive, they are not exhaustive, and punitive action is done by the sole discretion of the Discord Administration and Moderation teams. They are permitted to use their best judgment to assess a situation, and that judgment is generally final.

However, if you feel there has been some mistake or extenuating circumstance, you can reach out to [email protected] to ask for a ban appeal. Please allow a period of no less than two business days to review your request.

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