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DreamHost says it reset passwords for some email and FTP/SFTP users after an incident that also disrupted webmail and its File Manager. Affected users need their account owner to set a new password; DreamHost says the File Manager restoration is still underway.
DreamHost says passwords for some email and FTP/SFTP users were reset after an incident disrupted webmail and other services, and affected users cannot sign in until their account owner sets new credentials. In its latest status update, posted October 25 at 9:32 p.m. PDT, the hosting company said it had emailed all affected account holders instructions, while its File Manager remained unavailable.
The incident affects Web Services and Email Services, according to DreamHost’s status page. Listed impacted locations include the File Manager interface, Email Hosting and Webmail interface. DreamHost first reported connectivity issues with the File Manager on October 23, then said some webmail users had been signed out or could encounter login errors.
DreamHost said it reset passwords as a precaution for some email and FTP/SFTP users. Its October 25 update says those affected users will be unable to log in until the owner of their DreamHost account resets their passwords and shares the new credentials with them. The account owner can make changes through the control panel at panel.dreamhost.com; email users and FTP/SFTP users who are not account owners should contact that owner.
Earlier updates said owners could reset passwords under “Mail > Manage Email” or “Websites > SFTP Users & Files.” DreamHost advised allowing up to 15 minutes for a new password to take effect. The company said a “Failed to edit” error affecting some Professional Email customers had been fixed by its October 25 morning update. However, the File Manager at files.dreamhost.com was still unavailable in the latest notice.
Email and FTP Access Requires Owners
The reset can interrupt routine access for people who rely on DreamHost-hosted email or FTP/SFTP accounts. After a password is reset, saved credentials in email apps such as Outlook or Apple Mail may no longer work, and users may need to get new credentials from the person who administers the hosting account. DreamHost’s status notices say affected users must wait for that owner to set and share a replacement password.
The outage also affects the company’s File Manager interface, a separate tool customers may use to manage website files. DreamHost has not said in the supplied status updates when that service will return. The incident therefore involves both account access changes and an unavailable management tool, though the status page does not establish that all DreamHost customers or all services are affected.
There is also a phishing risk during a password-reset event. DreamHost repeatedly warned that it will never email customers asking for their password and said its notices do not require customers to log in through an email link. Customers should use the control panel address directly rather than follow an unsolicited message’s links or provide credentials by email.
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How DreamHost’s Response Developed
DreamHost’s first supplied incident notice appeared on October 23 at 2:20 p.m. PDT, when its Operations team said it was investigating connectivity problems affecting the File Manager. At 5:20 p.m., the company described broader effects: the panel File Manager was offline, some webmail users had been signed out or were seeing errors, and it was resetting some email passwords as a precaution.
At 10:13 p.m. that day, DreamHost said some email and FTP/SFTP passwords would be reset and advised affected customers to wait for instructions because changes made before its reset was complete could be overwritten. On October 24, the company said the resets were complete and that account owners could set new passwords in the control panel. It then began sending instructions in batches. By October 25, DreamHost said emails had been sent to all impacted account holders, but it continued to report the File Manager as unavailable.
The updates show a changing process: customers were initially told to wait, then informed they could set passwords themselves without waiting for email. DreamHost’s later guidance is to use the control panel directly, with account owners handling credentials for their users. The status information provided does not explain the technical cause of the incident.
“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 Restoration Time Unknown
DreamHost has not stated in the supplied updates what caused the incident, whether there was unauthorized access, or whether customer information was exposed. The company describes the password resets as a precaution, but gives no further explanation of the risk that prompted them. The available information does not establish a breach, and readers should not infer one from the resets alone.
The exact number of affected accounts is also not provided. DreamHost says the measures apply to some email and FTP/SFTP users and that all impacted account holders have been emailed, but it does not quantify the affected group. The latest notice gives no estimated restoration time for the File Manager or a target for ending the incident.
It is also unclear whether all customers have received or acted on the instructions. The status page says the emails were sent; it does not confirm that each account owner has completed the resets or that all affected users can sign in again.
Watch for File Manager Updates
DreamHost says it will post another status update when the File Manager is restored. Customers who administer affected accounts can use the control panel directly to set replacement email or FTP/SFTP passwords; other users should contact their account owner for credentials. DreamHost’s earlier guidance says to allow up to 15 minutes for a new password to take effect.
Customers should check the official status page for service changes and go directly to panel.dreamhost.com to manage credentials. DreamHost says its reset notices will not ask users for passwords or require them to sign in through an email link. The cause, full scope and restoration timing remain undisclosed in the supplied updates.
Key Questions
Which DreamHost services are affected?
DreamHost lists Web Services and Email Services, including the File Manager, Email Hosting and Webmail interface. The company says some email and FTP/SFTP users were affected; it has not published a total account count.
What should an affected email or FTP/SFTP user do?
If you are not the DreamHost account owner, contact the account owner to have a new password set and shared with you. DreamHost says affected users cannot sign in until that process is complete.
Do customers need to wait for a reset email?
No. DreamHost’s later status updates say account owners can set new passwords through panel.dreamhost.com without waiting for the email. The company advised allowing up to 15 minutes for a new password to take effect.
Is DreamHost reporting a data breach?
The supplied status updates do not say that customer data was exposed or identify unauthorized access. DreamHost says it reset some passwords as a precaution, but has not explained the incident’s cause or full security implications.
When will the File Manager be back?
DreamHost has not provided a restoration time. Its latest update, posted October 25 at 9:32 p.m. PDT, said work continued and that it would post an update when the File Manager was restored.
Source: dreamhoststatus.com
