Hack forces Fasthosts to change user passwords

Emergency reset for web hoster

UK web-hosting company Fasthosts has reset customer passwords after a hacker breached one of its servers.

Security from A to Z

Click on the links below to find out more...

A is for Antivirus
B is for Botnets
C is for CMA
D is for DDoS
E is for Extradition
F is for Federated identity
G is for Google
H is for Hackers
I is for IM
J is for Jaschan (Sven)
K is for Kids
L is for Love Bug
M is for Microsoft
N is for Neologisms
O is for Orange
P is for Passwords
Q is for Questions
R is for Rootkits
S is for Spyware
T is for Two-factor authentication
U is for USB sticks/devices
V is for Virus variants
W is for Wi-fi
X is for OS X
Y is for You
Z is for Zero-day

Last month Fasthosts wrote to its entire customer base advising them the company had discovered a network intrusion involving one of its servers. As a precautionary measure it recommended all customers to update their control panel and FTP passwords.

Fasthosts was made aware last week of a "very small number" of customers who did not change their passwords and had experienced a compromise to their FTP, according to a company spokesman.

A Fasthosts spokesperson told silicon.com's sister site ZDNet UK: "This damage varied from a change to the home page of a website to some files being uploaded to the FTP space which had no visible effect. Fasthosts is currently in the process of working with these customers to resolve any outstanding technical requirements."

Fasthosts subsequently implemented automatic password change to every customer which did not change their control panel and FTP passwords.

Fasthosts will also change all unchanged email passwords automatically over the coming week, with affected customers receiving new passwords by snail mail.

ZDNet UK's David Meyer contributed to this report