Web hosting provider DreamHost forced password resets for some email and FTP/SFTP users after a security incident that began on 23 October 2026 and disrupted its File Manager and webmail services. Affected users cannot sign in again until the account owner sets a new password and shares it with them.

The incident started with File Manager connectivity problems on 23 October, and later expanded to webmail sign-outs and FTP/SFTP access. As a precaution, DreamHost reset passwords for a subset of email accounts, then extended the resets to FTP/SFTP users. The reset process was confirmed complete on 24 October, and by 25 October at 9:32 p.m. Pacific time DreamHost said all affected account owners had received instructions.

What customers still need to do

On 26 October at 3:35 p.m. Pacific time, DreamHost said its File Manager was back online after a fix and was being monitored, but password changes remained required for the affected subset of accounts. The company also advised customers to check email forwarding settings and remove any destinations they do not recognise.

What DreamHost has not disclosed matters as much as what it has. The company has not publicly stated the cause of the incident, the number of accounts affected, or whether files or messages were exposed, and the incident should not be described as a confirmed data breach on the evidence published so far. DreamHost, which serves more than 400,000 customers, also warned that it never asks for passwords by email, and users should reach its panel directly rather than through links in unexpected messages.

Sources: SC Media and Cybersecurity News.