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DreamHost says affected account owners have been emailed instructions to reset passwords for mail and FTP/SFTP users. Those users cannot log in until their account owner sets and shares new credentials; the File Manager remains unavailable. The company has not identified the cause or said whether customer data was accessed.
DreamHost says it has emailed all affected account holders instructions to reset passwords for mail and FTP/SFTP users, as the hosting provider continues responding to an incident that has disrupted webmail access and left its File Manager offline. Users whose credentials were reset cannot sign in until their account owner creates and shares new passwords, according to the company’s October 25 status update.
The company’s latest update, posted at 9:32 p.m. PDT on October 25, said instructions had been sent to all impacted account holders. Account owners can set replacement passwords in the DreamHost control panel. Mail passwords are managed under Mail > Manage Email; FTP/SFTP credentials are managed under Websites > SFTP Users & Files. DreamHost says a new password may take up to 15 minutes to take effect.
People using an affected email or FTP/SFTP account are not able to log in until the account owner resets the password and shares the new credentials. The status page says the File Manager at files.dreamhost.com remains unavailable while work to restore it continues. DreamHost has not given a restoration time.
The incident began with reports of connectivity problems affecting the File Manager on October 23. Later that day, DreamHost said some webmail users had been signed out or were seeing login errors, and that it was resetting some email and FTP/SFTP passwords as a precaution. The company’s status page lists disruptions affecting Web Services and Email Services, with the File Manager, email hosting and webmail interface named among the affected components.
Access Depends on Account Owners
The reset affects more than a single sign-in screen. People who use a company or organization’s DreamHost email or file-transfer account may be unable to work until the account owner updates the password and passes the new credentials to them. That can interrupt email access and FTP/SFTP workflows, including services that depend on saved credentials in mail apps or other software.
For account owners, the status page’s instructions provide a way to reset credentials without waiting for the emailed directions: make the change directly in the DreamHost control panel. The company says to allow up to 15 minutes for the new password to take effect. Its continuing File Manager outage also means customers cannot use that interface while restoration work is underway.
The incident has a security dimension because DreamHost is changing passwords as a precaution, but that wording does not establish that accounts were compromised. The company has not disclosed a cause, described any unauthorized access, or reported that customer data was taken. Readers should distinguish the confirmed service and login disruption from conclusions about a breach, which the available status updates do not support.
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From Login Errors to Resets
DreamHost first reported the incident on October 23. At 2:20 p.m. PDT, its Operations team said it was investigating connectivity issues affecting the File Manager. By 5:20 p.m., the company described a broader incident affecting several services: the File Manager was offline, while some webmail users had been signed out or could not log in successfully.
At that point, DreamHost said it was resetting passwords for some email accounts as a precaution and warned that affected users’ old passwords would stop working in webmail and email apps. At 10:13 p.m., it expanded the description to include FTP/SFTP access and said affected account owners would receive instructions. Earlier updates told customers to wait for the company’s reset process, since passwords changed before it was complete could be overwritten.
The guidance later changed. On October 24, DreamHost said account owners could set new passwords themselves through the control panel and did not need to wait for an email. The company also reported that some Professional Email customers had received a “Failed to edit” error while changing passwords, then said that issue had been fixed. Its October 25 update marked the mailing of instructions to all affected account holders as complete, but said File Manager restoration was still in progress.
“All impacted DreamHost account holders have now been emailed step-by-step instructions to reset passwords for mail and FTP/SFTP users on their accounts.”
— DreamHost status page, October 25, 2026, 9:32 p.m. PDT
Cause and Data Impact Unreported
DreamHost’s published status updates do not explain what caused the incident, how many accounts or customers were affected, or whether there was unauthorized access to systems or customer information. The company described the password resets as a precaution, but has not said that a security breach occurred. The available information also does not specify when the File Manager will return.
It is unclear whether all impacted users have completed password changes or regained access. The status page confirms that instructions were emailed to account holders, not that every affected mail or FTP/SFTP account is working again. Customers should rely on the company’s direct status updates for any further confirmed details.
Watch for Restoration Updates
DreamHost says it will post another update when the File Manager is restored. Until then, affected account owners can use the control panel to change mail and FTP/SFTP passwords, then provide the new credentials to their users. The company says password changes may take up to 15 minutes to become active.
DreamHost advises customers to go directly to panel.dreamhost.com to make changes, rather than using a link in an email, and says it will never ask users to send their password by email. The next useful milestones are confirmation that the File Manager is back online and any further company explanation of the incident’s cause, scope or impact.
Key Questions
Do all DreamHost customers need to reset their passwords?
No. DreamHost says the reset applies to affected email and FTP/SFTP users. Account owners can check the company’s instructions and manage passwords in the DreamHost control panel.
Who needs to change the password for an affected account?
The DreamHost account owner must set a new password for affected mail or FTP/SFTP users and share it with them. Those users cannot log in until that happens.
Is DreamHost’s File Manager working?
No. The latest status update says the File Manager at files.dreamhost.com is still unavailable while DreamHost works to restore it. The company has not provided a return time.
Has DreamHost confirmed a data breach?
The status updates provided here do not confirm a breach or report that customer data was accessed. DreamHost says it is resetting some passwords as a precaution but has not disclosed the incident’s cause or data impact.
How can customers avoid password-reset phishing?
DreamHost says it will never email asking for a password. Customers should go directly to panel.dreamhost.com to make changes and should not provide credentials in response to an email.
Source: hn
