Terms & Conditions

Starks Technology Services, LLC· Dallas, Texas

1. Introduction

Welcome to the website of Starks Technology Services, LLC (“STS,” “Starks Technology Services,” “we,” “us,” or “our”).

These Terms & Conditions (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of the Starks Technology Services website, online resources, forms, assessments, communications, and other digital services made available through our website.

By accessing or using this website, submitting information through the website, requesting information or services, or otherwise interacting with our online services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to these Terms.

If you do not agree with these Terms, please discontinue use of the website.

These website Terms do not replace any separate proposal, Statement of Work (“SOW”), Master Terms and Conditions of Sale, service agreement, subscription agreement, purchase order accepted by STS, or other written agreement entered into between STS and a customer. If there is a conflict between these Terms and an executed agreement governing specific services, the executed agreement will control with respect to those services.

2. About Starks Technology Services

Starks Technology Services, LLC is a Texas limited liability company providing technology-related professional services.

Services may include, but are not limited to:

• Cybersecurity consulting and assessments
• Cybersecurity program development
• Vulnerability assessments and penetration testing
• Security awareness and phishing training
• Artificial intelligence consulting and implementation
• AI governance and strategy
• Technology consulting
• Compliance consulting
• Cloud and infrastructure consulting
• Managed technology services
• Risk assessments
• Governance consulting
• Professional and technical training
• Project management
• Digital transformation services
• Strategic technology planning

Specific services, deliverables, pricing, responsibilities, schedules, and requirements are established through applicable proposals, Statements of Work, or other agreements.

3. Website Use

You may use this website only for lawful purposes.

You agree not to:

• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to the website, servers, systems, accounts, databases, or networks associated with STS.
• Introduce viruses, malware, malicious code, automated attacks, or other harmful technology.
• Probe, scan, test, or attempt to identify vulnerabilities in STS systems without express written authorization.
• Interfere with the operation, availability, performance, or security of the website.
• Scrape, harvest, copy, reproduce, or systematically collect website content or information without authorization.
• Impersonate another person or organization.
• Use the website to engage in fraudulent, unlawful, abusive, or malicious activity.
• Use STS content, systems, tools, or intellectual property in violation of applicable law or these Terms.

STS reserves the right to restrict or terminate access to the website where we reasonably believe these Terms have been violated.

4. Requests for Services

Information presented on this website is provided for general informational and marketing purposes and does not constitute a binding offer to provide services.

Submitting a contact form, requesting an assessment, scheduling a consultation, communicating with STS, or otherwise expressing interest in services does not create a client relationship or obligate STS to perform services.

No quotation, estimate, proposal, or Statement of Work constitutes a binding obligation until accepted in accordance with the applicable agreement or until STS begins authorized performance.

STS reserves the right to decline an engagement for any lawful reason, including technical feasibility, resource availability, conflicts of interest, regulatory requirements, security concerns, payment history, or project scope.

5. Professional Services Disclaimer

Technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, compliance, governance, and digital transformation services involve professional judgment and rapidly changing technologies, regulations, threats, and industry practices.

Recommendations, assessments, reports, opinions, and other information provided by STS are based on information reasonably available at the time the services are performed.

Unless expressly stated in a written agreement, STS does not guarantee:

• Specific business outcomes
• Regulatory approval
• Certification
• Cybersecurity resilience
• Prevention of cybersecurity incidents
• Uninterrupted operation
• Elimination of vulnerabilities
• Specific financial results
• Successful implementation of recommendations
• Compatibility with every system or technology

Customers remain responsible for evaluating and implementing recommendations appropriate for their organization.

6. Cybersecurity Disclaimer

Cybersecurity is a risk-management discipline and not a guarantee of absolute security.

No technology, security control, software platform, assessment, monitoring system, professional service, or cybersecurity methodology can eliminate all cybersecurity risks.

STS does not represent or warrant that its services will prevent every:

• Data breach
• Ransomware incident
• Malware infection
• Phishing attack
• Unauthorized access
• Insider threat
• Denial-of-service attack
• Zero-day exploit
• Advanced persistent threat
• System compromise
• Other cybersecurity event

Organizations remain responsible for determining their acceptable level of cybersecurity risk and for maintaining appropriate administrative, technical, physical, and organizational safeguards.

7. Penetration Testing and Security Assessments

Any penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, security testing, phishing simulation, social engineering exercise, wireless testing, application testing, or similar activity performed by STS requires appropriate authorization.

Customers requesting such services represent that they own, control, or possess the legal authority necessary to authorize testing of the applicable systems, networks, applications, infrastructure, or environments.

Customers are responsible for obtaining any necessary permissions from system owners, hosting providers, cloud providers, internet service providers, managed service providers, governmental entities, or other affected third parties.

Unauthorized security testing is strictly prohibited.

8. Artificial Intelligence Services

STS may provide consulting, implementation, integration, governance, strategy, training, or other services involving artificial intelligence technologies.

Artificial intelligence systems are probabilistic and may produce inaccurate, incomplete, outdated, biased, unexpected, or otherwise incorrect information.

AI-generated information should not automatically be relied upon for significant operational, financial, legal, regulatory, medical, employment, engineering, safety, cybersecurity, or business decisions.

Appropriate human review and validation should be performed before relying upon AI-generated outputs.

STS does not warrant the accuracy, completeness, reliability, originality, legality, or suitability of information generated by third-party artificial intelligence systems.

9. Compliance Consulting

STS may provide consulting related to regulatory requirements, cybersecurity frameworks, industry standards, and compliance programs, including areas such as:

• Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC)
• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) publications and frameworks
• Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS)
• Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI)
• ISO standards
• CIS Controls
• HIPAA Security Rule requirements
• PCI DSS
• SOC frameworks
• ITAR
• EAR
• Other cybersecurity and technology-related requirements

STS acts as a technology and professional consultant unless expressly agreed otherwise.

STS is not, solely by providing consulting services, acting as a governmental authority, certification body, accreditation organization, legal advisor, contracting officer, regulatory enforcement agency, or independent auditing organization.

STS does not guarantee that a customer will obtain certification, pass an audit, qualify for a government contract, receive regulatory approval, or achieve compliance solely as a result of STS services.

Customers remain responsible for determining and satisfying the legal, contractual, regulatory, and industry requirements applicable to their organizations.

10. No Legal, Financial, or Regulatory Advice

Information made available through this website is not intended to constitute legal, tax, accounting, investment, or financial advice.

Technology and compliance information provided by STS should not be considered a substitute for advice from qualified legal counsel, accountants, regulatory professionals, or other appropriate advisors.

11. Customer Responsibilities

Customers engaging STS are responsible for providing accurate, complete, and timely information reasonably necessary for STS to perform its services.

Customers are also responsible for maintaining appropriate:

• System backups
• Business continuity procedures
• Disaster recovery plans
• Cybersecurity controls
• User access controls
• Software licenses
• Regulatory authorizations
• Internal policies
• Insurance coverage
• Third-party permissions

STS is not responsible for delays or outcomes caused by incomplete information, lack of access, customer decisions, third-party actions, or failure to implement recommendations.

12. Third-Party Products and Services

STS services may involve or integrate with third-party hardware, software, cloud platforms, artificial intelligence systems, telecommunications providers, hosting services, managed service providers, open-source software, and other third-party technologies.

STS does not manufacture or control these third-party products and services.

To the extent permitted by law, STS is not responsible for failures, vulnerabilities, outages, defects, interruptions, pricing changes, licensing issues, discontinued products, security incidents, service degradation, or other circumstances attributable to third-party products or providers outside STS's reasonable control.

Third-party products and services may also be subject to their own terms, privacy policies, licensing agreements, and acceptable-use policies.

13. Intellectual Property

Unless otherwise expressly stated, all content and intellectual property available through this website or developed independently by STS, including methodologies, frameworks, software, scripts, source code, algorithms, automation tools, workflows, training materials, policies, procedures, presentations, reports, assessment models, scoring methodologies, dashboards, AI prompts, graphics, branding, documentation, processes, trade secrets, know-how, and other proprietary materials, are owned by or licensed to Starks Technology Services.

No ownership rights are transferred merely by accessing the website.

You may not reproduce, distribute, sublicense, sell, modify, reverse engineer, commercially exploit, create derivative works from, or otherwise use STS intellectual property without prior written authorization except where permitted by law.

14. Confidential Information

During communications or engagements with STS, either party may receive confidential, proprietary, technical, operational, commercial, financial, or strategic information belonging to the other party.

Where applicable, such information should be protected using commercially reasonable safeguards and used only for legitimate business purposes associated with the applicable relationship or engagement.

More specific confidentiality obligations may be established in a Statement of Work, nondisclosure agreement, Master Terms and Conditions of Sale, or other written agreement.

15. Customer Data

Customers retain ownership of their data, records, files, databases, software, intellectual property, confidential information, and business information.

Where customers provide information to STS in connection with professional services, customers authorize STS to access, process, store, transmit, analyze, and otherwise use that information as reasonably necessary to perform the applicable services, subject to applicable agreements and law.

Customers represent that they possess the necessary rights and permissions to provide such information to STS.

Additional information regarding personal information collected through this website is addressed in the STS Privacy Policy.

16. Website Forms and Electronic Communications

When you voluntarily submit information through the website, including contact forms, assessment forms, consultation requests, newsletter registrations, or similar forms, you authorize STS to use the information provided to respond to your request and communicate with you regarding relevant services.

You are responsible for ensuring that information submitted through the website is accurate and that you have authority to provide it.

Where required by applicable law, marketing communications will be subject to applicable consent and opt-out requirements.

17. Website Availability

STS makes reasonable efforts to maintain the availability and security of its website but does not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free access.

The website may become temporarily unavailable due to maintenance, updates, hosting provider outages, telecommunications failures, cyberattacks, software errors, internet disruptions, or circumstances outside STS's reasonable control.

STS may modify, suspend, discontinue, or update portions of the website at any time.

18. Disclaimer of Warranties

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, this website and its content are provided on an “AS IS” and “AS AVAILABLE” basis.

STS disclaims warranties, whether express, implied, statutory, or otherwise, including implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, non-infringement, accuracy, availability, and uninterrupted operation.

STS does not warrant that the website will be free from errors, defects, malware, security vulnerabilities, interruptions, or other technical issues.

19. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, STS and its members, managers, officers, employees, contractors, subcontractors, affiliates, licensors, suppliers, successors, and agents shall not be liable for indirect, incidental, consequential, special, exemplary, punitive, enhanced, or multiple damages arising from or related to the use of, inability to use, or reliance upon this website or its content.

This includes, without limitation, loss of profits, revenue, business opportunities, anticipated savings, goodwill, reputation, data, business interruption, or loss of use.

For claims arising from separately contracted professional services, the limitations of liability contained in the applicable Master Terms and Conditions of Sale, Statement of Work, or other executed agreement will govern.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.

20. Indemnification

To the extent permitted by applicable law, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless STS and its members, managers, officers, employees, contractors, affiliates, successors, and assigns from claims, liabilities, damages, costs, and expenses arising from your unlawful use of the website, violation of these Terms, infringement of third-party rights, unauthorized access or testing activities, or misuse of STS content or services.

21. Government and Regulated Industries

Organizations operating under federal, state, local, defense, healthcare, financial, educational, or other regulated environments remain responsible for identifying the laws, contractual obligations, security requirements, and regulatory frameworks applicable to their operations.

STS consulting may assist customers with understanding and implementing technology or cybersecurity requirements, but such assistance does not constitute a guarantee of compliance, certification, contract eligibility, or regulatory approval.

22. Force Majeure

STS shall not be responsible for delays, interruptions, or failures caused by circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including natural disasters, severe weather, utility failures, telecommunications failures, internet outages, pandemics, governmental actions, labor disputes, supply-chain disruptions, war, civil unrest, cyberattacks against infrastructure providers, or similar events.

23. Changes to These Terms

STS may update these Terms periodically to reflect changes in our website, services, technology, business practices, or applicable requirements.

When changes are made, the “Last Updated” date at the top of these Terms may be revised.

Your continued use of the website following publication of revised Terms constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms to the extent permitted by applicable law.

24. Governing Agreements

These Terms govern use of the STS website.

Professional services purchased from STS may be governed by additional contractual documents, including proposals, Statements of Work, purchase orders accepted by STS, subscription agreements, Master Terms and Conditions of Sale, and amendments.

Where an executed agreement conflicts with these website Terms regarding contracted services, the executed agreement will control for those services.

25. Contact Information

Questions regarding these Terms & Conditions may be directed to:

Starks Technology Services, LLC
Dallas, Texas

Please use the contact information provided on the Starks Technology Services website for legal, contractual, or general inquiries.