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Fasthosts customers still frozen out of websites

More support staff drafted over password reset cockup

Published Wednesday 5th December 2007 12:45 GMT

Fasthosts has promised it will bring in more support staff to deal with the volume of calls it is still receiving following its poorly-handled password reset on Friday.

Many customers haven't received the replacement passwords that the Gloucester webhost said it had sent in the post. We asked for an update on the debacle, and got this statement late on Tuesday:

Fasthosts are working with all affected customers to help them receive their new passwords as swiftly as possible. Affected customers who have not received their new password letters may call the Customer Care Helpline and once authenticated, can be provided with their new passwords over the phone.

Whilst Fasthosts has seen high call volumes throughout today, the company will continue to provide additional resource over the next 48 hours in response to the demand. We apologise to those customers affected for any inconvenience caused during the issuing of new passwords and thank customers for their understanding and cooperation.

The firm said it had used first class post to send the control panel access codes.

The system-wide reset was triggered by a hack attack in October.

Fasthosts asked customers to change passwords at the time, and said last week that those who did would not be affected by the reset. Many Reg readers say they complied in October, but have been locked out now nevertheless.

Fasthosts says its priority is security, but its handling of the debacle has provoked apoplexy in the webmaster community, as evidenced by the comments on our original story.

Customers who haven't changed all their email passwords will face similar problems when they're also reset on Sunday*. ®

*Fasthosts has been in touch to say that email passwords will be reset on Thursday December 13, rather than the original date it gave of 10 days after the control panel rest.

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