Security incident: Hostwinds client area offline

Security incident: Hostwinds client area offline

Status:Investigating

Posted:Thursday, October 22, 2026, 10:44 AM ET (14:44 UTC)

Overview: We recently identified unauthorized access to the system that runs the Hostwinds client area and billing. We proactively took the client area offline as a precaution and have been working on maintaining service while we're investigating. We are working with an independent forensic and cybersecurity firm and the appropriate law enforcement agencies have been notified.

Service status: Customer servers and websites remain online. As a precaution, we have disabled access to potentially impacted services while we continue to investigate. Because of this, you may not be able to sign in to your server for now, and the client area remains offline. We're working to restore your access. If you need access to your server before then, email our team at support@hostwinds.com. We appreciate your patience.

What you should do now: As a precaution we advise you to keep a current backup outside your Hostwinds server; if you manage your own server, change root and administrator passwords and replace SSH keys directly on the server; check for users or keys you don't recognize; and change any password you've shared with us in a support ticket.

Watch for fake messages: Our incident emails come from support@hostwinds.com but sender addresses can be faked, so we'll never ask for your password, SSH keys or full card number by email, chat or phone.

Further updates: We will provide further updates as more information becomes available.