Hackers stole DreamHost customer files and inboxes during months-long attack
The web host said hackers exploited a vulnerability to access customer emails and files during a "deliberate attack."
Web hosting company DreamHost has revealed that hackers conducted a prolonged cyberattack, resulting in the theft of customer emails and login credentials. The breach came to light on Thursday following a multi-day system outage, during which the company was compelled to reset several customer passwords. According to a data breach notice submitted to California's attorney general, the intrusion commenced in August, enabling the assailants to acquire "session tokens," which maintain users logged in even after entering their passwords. If obtained, these tokens grant hackers access to a system as though they were the legitimate user.
DreamHost attributes the security breach to an unspecified vulnerability in its file manager, a platform utilized by customers to store their digital files. When queried about the reason behind the company's delayed detection of the cyberattack, a DreamHost spokesperson declined to provide specifics, citing an ongoing investigation. The spokesperson also refrained from disclosing the nature of the vulnerability, stating it is unrelated to recent discoveries in the PHP web software.
The company has not yet disclosed the precise number of customers impacted by the breach, instead claiming that the affected individuals constitute "well under 10%" of its user base. DreamHost serves approximately 400,000 paying customers across its network.
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