DreamHost Detects Breach, Resets Passwords

Web hosting provider DreamHost revealed over the weekend that the company recently faced an unauthorized breach of its databases.

Discussing the matter via its blog, the web host stated, “Early yesterday, one of DreamHost’s database servers was illegally accessed using an exploit that was not previously known or prevented by our layered security systems in place.”

“Our intrusion detection systems alerted our Security team to the potential hack, and we rapidly identified the means of illegal access and blocked it,” the statement continued.

The company’s response was to secure the situation by moving to protect customer accounts with password resets on FTP and Shell. Despite those passwords possibly being affected, DreamHost stated other passwords including those belonging to users’ emails and web panels were not.

Meanwhile, customers have been notified of the encounter and will be prompted to create the new FTP and Shell passwords upon logging into their web hosting control panels.

The company finished implementing password reset notifications for its Shared hosting customers on Friday followed by resets for VPS customers the following day. In the aftermath of the breach, DreamHost says that it’s carrying out “a rigorous security review.”

DreamHost’s web hosting solutions include VPS, dedicated and shared. In July of last year, the company announced a leadership revamp when it appointed former Pictage Chief Marketing Officer Simon Anderson as the company’s new CEO. For more information regarding the security issue, view a blog post by the company here (blog.dreamhost.com).