Serial Port Utility Privacy Policy (English)

Last updated: 2026-10-01

This Privacy Policy explains how Serial Port Utility ("the App") by Alithon collects, uses, and protects your information. By using the App, you agree to this Policy.

Information We Collect - Information you provide: app settings, serial connection configurations, optional data logs you enable and save locally. - Automatically collected (minimal diagnostics): a non-personal device identifier (CID), the network hardware (MAC) address of the primary network adapter, app version, OS version, license/activation status, launch counts, runtime duration, and error/crash logs. These are used to ensure licensing, stability and service quality, and — for the device identifier and MAC address — to enforce the Terms of Service, including restricting a specific device that has been used in breach of them. Restriction records are kept for as long as the restriction is in force and for 24 months after it is lifted. - Network content: the App may request license verification and retrieve in-app promotional links (title and URL) from our servers. - Cloud Sync (optional): if you enable Cloud Sync, the App may transmit relevant data needed for synchronization. You can disable it at any time. - Cloud Send / Cloud Monitor (optional, sign-in required): if you enable "Cloud Send", the message text you queue on the website for a bound device is stored on our server for that device to pull; if you enable "Cloud Monitor", each port's send/receive content is uploaded to our server for you to view remotely. Both are off by default and forced off on sign-out, linked only to your account/device and used solely to provide the feature. - Live Share / invite codes (optional, sign-in required): if you mint an invite code for a serial port, we store that share record for its lifetime (port name, the label you wrote, a hash of the optional passcode, the expiry) so that a holder of the code can resolve it. A guest holding the code needs no account and we create none for them; we keep only the display name they state, so that we can show you who connected. You mint the share and can revoke it at any time; once revoked or expired it no longer resolves. The relay traffic counts against your account. If you allow a code to open in a browser, a guest holding it can watch that port's live data in their browser and, up to the level you allowed, send to it or control it; like Live Console, that data passes through a short buffer on our servers, sized and retained according to your account's Live Console allowance. For such a guest we keep a short-lived browser session (a random identifier, the display name they stated, the time of their last activity) that lapses after 30 minutes idle or when the share expires or is revoked; the commands they send, with their display name, appear in your device's command history. - Cloud traffic and top-up (optional): when using the above cloud features, we tally message bytes per account per month (no content) to show usage and enforce quota; if you buy a traffic pack, we process the payment order (via a third-party payment channel — we never handle your payment credentials) and credit the allowance to your account.
How We Use Information - Provide and maintain core functionality (serial communication, settings, logs if enabled). - License validation, anti-abuse, and update notifications. - Diagnostics, security, and performance improvement. - Display non-personalized promotional links. - Customer support and legal compliance.
Data Storage and Retention - Most data (settings, logs) is stored locally on your device. You control log creation and deletion. - License and diagnostics data may be processed on our servers and retained only as long as necessary for the purposes above.
Sharing and Disclosure - We do not sell your data. - We do not use third-party ad/analytics SDKs that track you across apps. - We may share data with service providers under confidentiality obligations (e.g., hosting, error reporting) or where required by law.
Advertising and Tracking - The App shows simple promotional links (title and URL). No personalized ads and no cross-app tracking.
Your Choices and Rights - You can: enable/disable Cloud Sync; enable/disable Cloud Send and Cloud Monitor (off by default); revoke any invite code you minted; view your traffic usage and top-up balance; enable/disable log recording; clear logs and settings; request access, correction, or deletion of personal data where applicable. - To exercise rights, contact us using the details below. We may need to verify your request.
Security - We use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect data. No method is 100% secure.
Children’s Privacy - The App is not directed to children under 13 (or the age defined by your jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect their data.
International Transfers - Your information may be processed in countries/regions where we or our providers operate. We take steps to protect your information consistent with this Policy.
Changes to This Policy - We may update this Policy. Material changes will be announced via app update notes or our website, with the new effective date shown above.
Contact Us - Website: https://www.alithon.com - Email: bill@alithon.com

App Store Privacy Summary - Data collection: diagnostics and license status; not linked to you; used for app functionality and analytics. - Cloud Send / Cloud Monitor (optional, sign-in required): the message text you queue or the port send/receive content ("User Content") is stored/uploaded to our server, linked to your account/device, solely to provide the feature. Not used for advertising. - Live Share / invite codes (optional, sign-in required): the share record, the display name a guest states and a browser guest's short-lived session ("User Content"), linked to your account, solely to provide the feature. Not used for advertising. - Cloud traffic and top-up (optional): message bytes are tallied per account per month (no content); buying a traffic pack processes a payment order and credits the allowance ("Purchases", "Usage Data"), linked to your account. Not used for advertising. - Tracking: none.