Arizona Southwest PBX (AZSW PBX) Community Safety Policy

Effective Date: August 17, 2026

Applies To: All AZSW PBX community members, moderators, administrators, guests, and staff.

1. Purpose

The Arizona Southwest PBX (AZSW PBX) community is intended to be a safe, respectful, and educational environment for people interested in PBX systems, VoIP, telecommunications, networking, FreePBX, Asterisk, Cisco phones, and related technology.

This Safety Policy establishes rules designed to protect our members, their privacy, their equipment, and the community itself.

2. Age Requirements

AZSW PBX is committed to maintaining a safe and respectful environment for its users.

Users must be 13 years of age or older, or meet the higher minimum age required by applicable law.

Age requirements help AZSW PBX maintain appropriate safety standards and protect younger users from inappropriate content, interactions, or activities.

If AZSW PBX becomes aware that a user does not meet the applicable minimum age requirement, appropriate safety measures may be taken, including restricting or removing access to AZSW PBX services or community resources.

3. Respect and Conduct

All members are expected to:

• Treat other members with respect.
• Avoid bullying, harassment, threats, intimidation, or discrimination.
• Avoid personal attacks and unnecessary arguments.
• Respect different levels of technical knowledge.
• Help beginners without making fun of their mistakes.
• Follow moderator instructions.
• Keep discussions appropriate for the community.

Threatening or intentionally attempting to harm another member is prohibited.

4. Personal Information and Privacy

Members should never post another person's private information without permission.

Do not share:

• Home addresses
• Phone numbers
• Passwords
• SIP passwords or extension secrets
• Private IP addresses when they could create a security risk
• Public IP addresses when unnecessary
• Personal identification documents
• Private conversations
• Account credentials
• API keys or tokens

Members should also avoid posting their own sensitive information.

If sensitive information is accidentally posted, members should remove it immediately and notify a moderator.

5. PBX and Network Security

Members are responsible for securing their own PBX systems and networks.

AZSW PBX does not encourage members to:

• Expose an unsecured PBX directly to the Internet.
• Publish SIP credentials.
• Share administrator passwords.
• Disable important security protections without understanding the consequences.
• Install unknown or untrusted PBX software.
• Run commands copied from strangers without understanding what they do.
• Attempt to access another person's PBX without authorization.

Members should use strong passwords, keep systems updated, restrict unnecessary network access, and regularly review logs for suspicious activity.

6. Authorized Testing Only

Security testing must only be performed on systems that you own or have explicit permission to test.

Unauthorized scanning, access attempts, credential attacks, disruption, or other attempts to compromise another person's system are prohibited.

Educational cybersecurity discussions are welcome when they are conducted safely and legally.

7. Scams and Fraud Prevention

Members should be cautious when someone requests:

• Money
• Gift cards
• Cryptocurrency
• Passwords
• Remote computer access
• PBX credentials
• Banking information
• Verification codes

AZSW PBX moderators will never require a member to provide a password or secret credential in a public channel.

If you believe someone is attempting to scam another member, report the situation to the moderators.

8. Suspicious Links and Files

Do not intentionally distribute malware, ransomware, credential-stealing software, or other malicious files.

Members should be cautious when opening:

• Unknown attachments
• Untrusted firmware
• Unknown scripts
• Suspicious websites
• Modified PBX packages
• Unknown configuration files

When possible, verify software and firmware using the manufacturer's or project's official sources.

9. Voice and Telephone Safety

Members must not use AZSW PBX systems to:

• Make threatening calls.
• Harass or repeatedly call people who do not want contact.
• Impersonate emergency services or another person.
• Conduct fraudulent calls.
• Deliberately disrupt telephone networks.
• Make unauthorized robocalls or spam calls.

Emergency services should only be contacted for genuine emergencies.

10. Emergency Situations

If someone appears to be in immediate physical danger, contact a trusted adult, responsible person nearby, or appropriate emergency services rather than attempting to handle the situation yourself.

AZSW PBX moderators are community moderators, not emergency responders.

11. Minors and Community Safety

AZSW PBX welcomes younger technology enthusiasts.

Members must not:

• Sexualize or exploit minors.
• Request inappropriate images from minors.
• Attempt to arrange inappropriate private meetings with minors.
• Pressure minors to reveal personal information.
• Encourage dangerous activities.

Any suspected exploitation or serious safety concern should be reported to community moderators and, when appropriate, responsible adults or the appropriate authorities.

12. Moderation

Moderators may take action when these rules are violated.

Possible actions include:

1. Informal warning
2. Official warning
3. Message removal
4. Temporary mute
5. Temporary suspension
6. Permanent removal from the community

Serious violations may result in immediate removal without a warning.

13. Reporting Safety Problems

Members should report safety concerns to an AZSW PBX moderator as soon as possible.

When reporting an incident, provide:

• What happened
• When it happened
• Where it happened
• The username involved
• Relevant screenshots or evidence, if safe to provide

Do not confront someone who may be dangerous or attempting to scam you.

14. Technical Help Safety Rule

Before following technical instructions, members should understand what the instructions will change.

When giving technical assistance, members should avoid recommending commands or configurations that could:

• Delete important data
• Expose credentials
• Disable security protections
• Break a production telephone system
• Interrupt emergency calling
• Permanently damage equipment

When a command could have significant consequences, explain the risk before recommending it.

15. Community Responsibility

Every member contributes to the safety of AZSW PBX.

Members are encouraged to:

• Help one another.
• Report suspicious behavior.
• Protect private information.
• Practice good cybersecurity.
• Ask questions before making risky changes.
• Keep technical discussions educational and responsible.

16. More info and Follow the Rules

AZSW PBX is committed to creating a community where people can learn about PBX systems, VoIP, networking, and telecommunications without feeling threatened, harassed, or unsafe.

Be respectful. Protect your information. Secure your systems. Help others. Stay safe.

Arizona Southwest PBX — Building the Future.

17. Final statement 🚨 Suspicious Activity Notice

If you witness anything suspicious or concerning within the AZSW PBX community, please report it immediately by calling Ext 7376.

When reporting suspicious activity, provide as much information as you safely can, including what happened, where it happened, and who was involved.

Do not confront or put yourself in danger.

AZSW PBX — Safety Starts With Us.

Just to Let You Know That You Are Not Alone. We Care About Your Own Safety And Want To Support You Guys.

And Always, Happy Ringing. :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)