Terms & Conditions

Acceptance of Terms

These Terms & Conditions ("Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between you (individually or on behalf of a legal entity, "you" or "User") and VectorGuard Labs ("VectorGuard Labs," "we," "us," or "our") governing your access to and use of:

• The VectorLedger software binary and source code, including all updates, patches, and new versions;
• The VectorLedger website at vectorguardlabs.com and any related subdomains;
• Documentation, APIs, client SDKs (Python, TypeScript/Node.js, Go), and associated tooling;
• PyHSM, the VectorGuard Labs key management daemon used in conjunction with VectorLedger;
• Any paid subscription license tiers (Starter, Growth, Enterprise) issued by VectorGuard Labs.

By clicking "I Agree," downloading or installing the software, activating a license, submitting a contact form, or otherwise using any part of VectorLedger, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy. If you are using VectorLedger on behalf of a company or other legal entity, you represent that you have the authority to bind that entity to these Terms.

If you do not agree with any part of these Terms, you must not download, install, or use VectorLedger.

Definitions

As used in these Terms, the following capitalized terms have the meanings set forth below:

• "Software" means the VectorLedger database engine binary, source code, libraries, client SDKs, CLI tools, and any updates or derivative works thereof.
• "PyHSM" means the VectorGuard Labs key management daemon software used as a hardware security module (HSM) backend for VectorLedger.
• "License File" means the cryptographically signed license.json file issued by VectorGuard Labs that unlocks paid-tier features.
• "Data Directory" means the on-disk storage location where VectorLedger persists encrypted ledger data, WAL records, audit logs, keys, and configuration.
• "Subscription" means a paid, recurring license to use VectorLedger under the Starter, Growth, or Enterprise tier.
• "User Data" means all financial records, journal entries, account data, audit logs, and any other data you store within a VectorLedger instance.
• "Compliance Reports" means the machine-generated technical evidence artifacts produced by the vledger compliance-report command in support of SOC 2 or PCI-DSS control assessments.
• "BUSL-1.1" means the Business Source License 1.1 under which the VectorLedger source code is made available.
• "Production Use" means deploying VectorLedger to process, store, or query live, real-world financial or business data, as opposed to development, evaluation, or testing environments.

Software License

3.1 Open-Source License (BUSL-1.1)

VectorLedger source code is made available under the Business Source License 1.1 (BUSL-1.1). Under BUSL-1.1:

• You may use, copy, modify, and distribute the source code for non-production purposes, including development, evaluation, testing, and internal research, without obtaining a commercial license.
• Production Use requires a separate commercial license. Running VectorLedger in any environment that processes real-world data for production workloads — including but not limited to financial ledgers, payment processing, audit systems, and SaaS applications — requires a paid Subscription (Starter, Growth, or Enterprise).
• After the Change Date specified in the BUSL-1.1 license header, the code converts to the Apache License 2.0. The Change Date and further details are published in the LICENSE file in the VectorLedger source repository.

A copy of the BUSL-1.1 license is available at spdx.org/licenses/BUSL-1.1.html and within the VectorLedger source repository.

3.2 Commercial License Tiers

Upon purchasing a Subscription, VectorGuard Labs issues a cryptographically signed license.json file that unlocks the features corresponding to your tier. The four tiers and their included features are:

• Free — No license file required. Suitable for development and internal non-production tools only. Does not include PostgreSQL wire protocol, WAL replication, compliance reports, hardware HSM PKCS#11 integration, or multi-node deployment.
• Starter ($99/month) — Adds PostgreSQL wire protocol (--pgwire) and 90-day audit log export. Suitable for early-stage teams.
• Growth ($399/month) — Adds WAL replication (hot standby), SOC 2 and PCI-DSS compliance reports, and unlimited audit log export. Suitable for production fintechs and SaaS companies.
• Enterprise ($999/month) — Adds hardware HSM PKCS#11 integration and multi-node deployment. Suitable for banks, payment processors, and PCI-DSS Level 1 environments.

Annual billing is available on all paid tiers. You pay for 10 months and receive 12. Contact sales@vectorguardlabs.com for multi-instance or custom pricing.

3.3 License File Restrictions

Your license.json is issued solely for your organization and the number of instances agreed upon in your Subscription. You may not:

• Share, resell, sublicense, or transfer your License File to any third party;
• Use a License File to operate VectorLedger instances beyond the quantity specified in your Subscription;
• Reverse-engineer, tamper with, or attempt to forge a License File;
• Use a License File after your Subscription has expired or been terminated.

Subscriptions & Billing

4.1 Subscription Term

Paid Subscriptions begin on the date your payment is processed and continue on a recurring monthly or annual basis unless cancelled. Your License File will reflect the expiry date of your current billing period.

4.2 Payment & Renewal

Subscriptions are billed in advance. By providing a payment method, you authorize VectorGuard Labs to charge the applicable Subscription fee at the start of each billing period. Failure to pay may result in suspension or termination of your License File.

Annual Subscriptions renew automatically at the end of the 12-month period unless you provide written notice of cancellation at least 30 days before the renewal date.

4.3 Price Changes

VectorGuard Labs reserves the right to modify Subscription pricing at any time. We will provide at least 30 days' written notice before any price change takes effect for existing subscribers. Continued use of the Software after a price change constitutes your acceptance of the new pricing.

4.4 Refunds

All Subscription fees are non-refundable except where required by applicable law. If you believe you have been charged in error, contact sales@vectorguardlabs.com within 30 days of the charge.

4.5 Taxes

All fees are exclusive of applicable taxes. You are responsible for paying all taxes, duties, or governmental charges imposed on or associated with your Subscription, except for taxes on VectorGuard Labs' net income.

4.6 License Expiry

The VectorLedger binary reads and verifies your license.json at every startup. A warning is printed when fewer than 30 days remain on your license. Upon expiry, the Software will continue to operate in Free tier mode — paid features (replication, compliance reports, hardware HSM, multi-node) will be disabled until a renewed license file is installed. Contact sales@vectorguardlabs.com to renew.

Permitted Use

Subject to these Terms and your applicable license tier, you are permitted to:

• Install and run VectorLedger on hardware or virtual machines you own or control;
• Use VectorLedger to store, query, and audit financial ledger data and other structured records;
• Integrate VectorLedger with your existing infrastructure using the provided client SDKs (Python, TypeScript/Node.js, Go) and the PostgreSQL wire protocol (where licensed);
• Configure PyHSM (Model 1 or Model 2) as the key management backend for your VectorLedger instance;
• Generate compliance reports and export audit logs for your own audits, assessments, and regulatory submissions (where licensed);
• Create backups, restore from backups, and perform key rotation operations for your own instance;
• Develop and distribute software that integrates with VectorLedger's APIs, provided such integration does not violate BUSL-1.1 or these Terms.

Prohibited Use

You may not use VectorLedger or any VectorGuard Labs service to:

• Engage in Production Use without a valid paid Subscription, in violation of BUSL-1.1;
• Reverse-engineer, decompile, disassemble, or attempt to extract the source code from any compiled VectorLedger binary, except as expressly permitted by applicable law;
• Attempt to circumvent, disable, or bypass the cryptographic license enforcement, authentication, or authorization mechanisms built into the Software;
• Distribute, resell, sublicense, or make VectorLedger available to third parties as a hosted or managed service without explicit written authorization from VectorGuard Labs;
• Use the Software for any unlawful purpose, including but not limited to money laundering, fraud, tax evasion, or any activity that violates applicable financial regulations;
• Introduce malware, viruses, or malicious code into any VectorLedger instance or the PyHSM daemon;
• Attempt to access, probe, or exploit the Software or infrastructure of VectorGuard Labs or its customers without authorization;
• Remove or alter any copyright, trademark, license notice, or other proprietary notice included in the Software;
• Use VectorLedger's name, logo, or trademarks without prior written permission from VectorGuard Labs;
• Interfere with or disrupt the integrity, performance, or availability of any VectorLedger instance or associated services.

Accounts & Security

7.1 Account Registration

To purchase a Subscription or receive a License File, you must provide accurate and complete information. You are responsible for keeping your account information current. VectorGuard Labs reserves the right to suspend or terminate accounts based on inaccurate or fraudulent information.

7.2 Credentials and Key Material

You are solely responsible for:

• The security of your VectorLedger admin credentials and all user accounts created within your instance;
• The security of your PyHSM master password (PYHSM_MASTER_PASSWORD) and the PyHSM keystore file. Loss of the PyHSM master password will render the keystore unrecoverable;
• Protecting mTLS certificates, private keys, and CA certificates used for Model 2 (remote PyHSM) deployments;
• Ensuring that your Data Directory, keys directory, and audit directory are protected with appropriate filesystem permissions (chmod 700 or equivalent);
• Backing up your PyHSM keystore to a secure, separate location. VectorGuard Labs is not responsible for data loss resulting from lost or corrupt keystore files.

7.3 Breach Notification

You must notify VectorGuard Labs promptly at engineering@vectorguardlabs.com if you become aware of any unauthorized access to your VectorLedger instance, PyHSM keystore, or License File.

Intellectual Property

8.1 VectorGuard Labs IP

VectorLedger, PyHSM, and all associated software, documentation, logos, trademarks, and service marks are the exclusive intellectual property of VectorGuard Labs. Nothing in these Terms transfers ownership of any VectorGuard Labs intellectual property to you.

The name "VectorLedger," "VectorGuard Labs," and associated logos are trademarks of VectorGuard Labs. You may not use these marks without prior written permission except to truthfully identify the Software in technical documentation or blog posts describing your integration.

8.2 Your Data

You retain full ownership of all User Data stored within your VectorLedger instance. VectorGuard Labs does not access, use, or retain your User Data. VectorLedger is designed as a self-hosted, on-premise product — your data never leaves your infrastructure.

8.3 Feedback

If you provide feedback, suggestions, or ideas regarding VectorLedger (collectively, "Feedback"), you grant VectorGuard Labs a perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use, incorporate, and sublicense that Feedback in any form without obligation to you.

Compliance Reporting

Organizational compliance requires additional controls, policies, procedures, personnel training, and independent auditor assessment that are entirely outside the scope of any database engine. You are solely responsible for:

• Engaging qualified, independent auditors to conduct any required assessments;
• Implementing the full set of controls required by your applicable regulatory frameworks, beyond those addressed by the Software;
• Ensuring that compliance reports generated by VectorLedger are reviewed and validated by qualified personnel before submission to auditors or regulators;
• Maintaining all organizational policies and procedures required by SOC 2, PCI-DSS, or other frameworks;
• Understanding that compliance report output reflects checks against the state of the VectorLedger data directory at the time the report is generated and may not reflect infrastructure, process, or personnel controls outside the Software.

VectorGuard Labs makes no representation or warranty that use of VectorLedger's compliance reporting feature will result in certification, compliance attestation, or passing any audit. All compliance-related decisions remain your sole responsibility.

Privacy & Data

10.1 Self-Hosted Architecture

VectorLedger is a self-hosted, on-premise product. Your User Data — including all journal entries, account records, audit logs, and encryption keys — is stored exclusively within your own infrastructure. VectorGuard Labs has no access to your User Data and does not collect, store, process, or transmit it.

10.2 License Verification

License verification is performed entirely offline. The VectorLedger binary verifies the cryptographic signature on your license.json file at startup using a public key embedded in the binary. No network request is made to VectorGuard Labs servers during this process.

10.3 Contact Form Data

Information you submit through the VectorLedger website contact form (name, email, company, message) is used solely to respond to your inquiry and evaluate potential licensing relationships. We do not sell, rent, or share this information with third parties, except as required by law.

10.4 Cookies and Analytics

The VectorLedger marketing website may use cookies or similar technologies for basic analytics (e.g., page view counts, referrer information). We do not use cross-site tracking or behavioral advertising. By using the website, you consent to this limited use.

10.5 Applicable Privacy Law

Where applicable, VectorGuard Labs processes personal data in accordance with relevant privacy regulations including the GDPR (for EU/EEA residents) and the CCPA (for California residents). For privacy-related requests or inquiries, contact engineering@vectorguardlabs.com.

Security Responsibilities

11.1 Your Security Obligations

You are responsible for the secure deployment, configuration, and operation of VectorLedger within your infrastructure. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Following the Production Deployment Checklist documented in the VectorLedger README before exposing any instance to production traffic;
• Replacing self-signed TLS certificates with CA-signed certificates prior to production deployment;
• Ensuring that your PyHSM keystore path points to a durable, backed-up location;
• Locking down data directory permissions with chmod 700 on all subdirectories;
• Using network-level controls (security groups, private subnets, firewall rules) to restrict access to VectorLedger and PyHSM endpoints;
• Promptly applying any security patches or updates released by VectorGuard Labs;
• Rotating credentials, session tokens, and mTLS certificates on a regular schedule.

11.2 Cryptographic Guarantees and Limitations

VectorLedger's tamper-evidence guarantees apply to data stored within the Software's hash-chained ledger and audit log. These guarantees are predicated on:

• Verification checkpoints (the HSM and audit log) being independently protected from the actor whose actions are being audited;
• The PyHSM master password and keystore being secured against unauthorized access;
• TLS certificates being validly issued and not compromised.

Tamper detection does not extend to data stored outside of VectorLedger, to infrastructure-level attacks (e.g., compromise of the host operating system or hypervisor), or to scenarios where an attacker gains access to both the data directory and the HSM keystore simultaneously.

Warranties & Disclaimers

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, VectorGuard Labs expressly disclaims all warranties, whether express, implied, statutory, or otherwise, including but not limited to:

• Any implied warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, or non-infringement;
• Any warranty that the Software will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free from vulnerabilities;
• Any warranty that defects will be corrected or that the Software is free of bugs;
• Any warranty regarding the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of compliance reports generated by the Software;
• Any warranty that use of the Software will result in certification, regulatory compliance, or audit success;
• Any warranty that benchmark performance figures stated in the documentation will be achieved in your specific environment.

The benchmark results published in VectorLedger documentation (e.g., 430 TPS on Apple Silicon in group_commit mode) represent a conservative baseline on development hardware and are not guarantees of production performance. You are solely responsible for validating performance suitability for your workload.

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of implied warranties. In such jurisdictions, the above disclaimers apply to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, in no event shall VectorGuard Labs, its officers, directors, employees, contractors, or licensors be liable for:

• Any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, punitive, or exemplary damages;
• Loss of profits, revenue, data, goodwill, or business opportunities;
• Regulatory fines, penalties, or compliance costs incurred as a result of using or relying on the Software;
• Data loss resulting from hardware failure, software bugs, misconfiguration, or loss of HSM key material;
• Security breaches or unauthorized access to your VectorLedger instance or User Data;
• Damages arising from your failure to follow the Production Deployment Checklist or security recommendations in the documentation.

In no event shall VectorGuard Labs' total aggregate liability to you for all claims arising out of or related to these Terms or your use of the Software exceed the greater of: (a) the total amount you paid to VectorGuard Labs in the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the event giving rise to the claim, or (b) one hundred U.S. dollars ($100).

The limitations in this section apply regardless of the form of action, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), strict liability, or otherwise, and even if VectorGuard Labs has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

Some jurisdictions do not allow the limitation or exclusion of certain damages. In such jurisdictions, the above limitations apply to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless VectorGuard Labs and its officers, directors, employees, contractors, and licensors from and against any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or related to:

• Your use of VectorLedger in violation of these Terms or applicable law;
• Your Production Use of the Software without a valid paid Subscription;
• Any breach of your security obligations described in Section 11;
• Any misrepresentation of compliance status to auditors, regulators, customers, or other third parties based on VectorLedger compliance reports;
• Any data breach, data loss, or regulatory penalty arising from your failure to properly secure your VectorLedger instance, PyHSM keystore, or associated key material;
• Any claims by your customers or end-users arising from your use of VectorLedger in a product or service you operate.

Termination

15.1 Termination by You

You may cancel your Subscription at any time by contacting sales@vectorguardlabs.com. Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period. No refund is provided for the remaining portion of a billing period.

15.2 Termination by VectorGuard Labs

VectorGuard Labs may suspend or terminate your Subscription and License File immediately upon written notice if:

• You materially breach these Terms and fail to cure such breach within 14 days of notice;
• You engage in Production Use without a valid license;
• You attempt to circumvent license enforcement or reverse-engineer the Software;
• Payment for your Subscription is not received after reasonable attempts to collect;
• Continued provision of the Software would expose VectorGuard Labs to legal liability or reputational harm.

15.3 Effect of Termination

Upon termination, your right to use the Software under any paid tier ceases immediately. The Software will revert to Free tier behavior (paid features disabled) upon expiry of your License File. Sections 8 (Intellectual Property), 9 (Compliance Reporting), 12 (Warranties), 13 (Limitation of Liability), 14 (Indemnification), and 16 (Governing Law) survive termination.

Termination does not affect your obligation to retain and protect your own User Data and audit logs in compliance with applicable record-keeping laws.

Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, United States, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Any dispute, controversy, or claim arising out of or relating to these Terms or the breach thereof shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in Delaware.

If you are using VectorLedger on behalf of an entity located outside the United States, you agree that these Terms shall still be governed by Delaware law and that any disputes shall be resolved in Delaware courts, unless otherwise required by mandatory provisions of your local law.

The United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) does not apply to these Terms.

Changes to Terms

VectorGuard Labs reserves the right to modify these Terms at any time. When we make material changes, we will:

• Update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page;
• Notify active Subscribers by email at least 14 days before the changes take effect;
• Post a notice on the VectorLedger website.

Your continued use of the Software after the effective date of revised Terms constitutes your acceptance of the changes. If you do not agree to the revised Terms, you must stop using the Software and cancel your Subscription before the effective date.

For changes required by law or to address security issues, the notice period may be shorter or we may need to apply changes immediately. We will provide as much notice as is reasonably practicable in such circumstances.

Contact

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding these Terms, please contact us:

• Sales & Licensing: sales@vectorguardlabs.com
• Engineering & Security: engineering@vectorguardlabs.com
• Website: vectorguardlabs.com

VectorGuard Labs — financial infrastructure that proves its own integrity.