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On May 4, GoDaddy disclosed via email to their users that 28,000 hosting accounts have been compromised via a breach in their Secure Shell (SSH) system. This breach may affect some of our clients. If you use GoDaddy for website hosting, this development can be confusing and concerning.
Unfortunately, this is a serious breach in that cyber criminals could have remotely accessed the websites to make unauthorized configurations and to steal data, including credit card information and passwords.
To read GoDaddy’s official statement to customers about the breach, view this PDF uploaded by the State of California. They stated that the breach did not affect customer accounts with GoDaddy—only hosting accounts.
What to Do Next
If you are a GoDaddy customer, it is important to take the time to address this breach. Security is important, and responding now appropriately protects you and your customers down the line.
- Change your site’s database password. Create a strong password that cannot easily be computer generated.
- Enable two-step verification to access your hosting account. This will require a secondary code sent to your phone or email to sign into the account. This creates another barrier between cyber criminals and your account.
- Conduct an audit of your hosting account. In their statement, GoDaddy also recommended to conduct an audit to identify if any unauthorized changes were made to your website.
- Claim your free subscriptions. GoDaddy is offering one year free subscription to their services Website Security Deluxe and Express Malware Removal for customers whose account was breached. Claim your subscriptions and run a scan of your website and database.
- Remain vigilant for phishing emails. Since 28,000 accounts were affected, cybercriminals will likely send emails made to appear as official GoDaddy announcements. Check that any email regarding the breach and next steps comes from an official GoDaddy domain. If you are unsure, do not click any links in the email. Contact GoDaddy customer support instead to resolve the issue directly.
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If you need assistance with addressing this security issue, get in touch with us via our contact form or call us at (407) 968-6296. We are happy to help you protect your GoDaddy account and provide some peace of mind regarding the security of your business and your customers’ data.
