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DreamHost says hackers accessed customer files and email for months
TechCrunch reports DreamHost said attackers used a file-manager flaw from August until last week, obtaining session tokens, some credentials and, in a limited set of cases, mailbox contents, with well under 10% of customers affected.
- New headline Was: “Hackers stole DreamHost customer files and inboxes during months-long attack”
- Our desk filed its story
DreamHost said hackers stole some customer emails and credentials in a months-long intrusion on its systems, TechCrunch reported Wednesday1.
The web host disclosed the breach last Thursday after an outage that lasted several days, during which it reset some customer passwords, TechCrunch said1. In a notice filed with California's attorney general, DreamHost said the attack began in August and allowed the attackers to obtain session tokens that keep users logged in after they enter passwords1.
The company said the attackers exploited an unspecified vulnerability in DreamHost's file manager, which customers use to store files1. A spokesperson declined to tell TechCrunch why the company did not detect the attack until last week, citing an ongoing investigation, and did not identify the vulnerability1.
The spokesperson said the incident was unrelated to recently disclosed vulnerabilities in PHP1. The company said the number of affected customers is well under 10% but would not give a more precise figure; DreamHost markets about 400,000 paying customers, TechCrunch reported1. Independent confirmation of the attacker, the exact software flaw and a full count of accessed mailboxes was not in the TechCrunch account1.
