Message from NorthstarMLS CEO Tim Dain: Password Security Update

Dear Valued Subscribers,

I wanted to provide an update with more details about the password reset request sent this past weekend.

Spamming Activity Detected 

On Saturday, July 19, Matrix vendor Cotality alerted us after detecting spamming activity from an authenticated NorthstarMLS Matrix user account whose credentials were compromised.

This account sent about 31,000 emails containing phishing content between Thursday and Friday. It had been accessed from multiple international locations, and most of the emails were sent to email addresses in Asia.

Password Reset for All NorthstarMLS Subscribers 

No account information was compromised or stolen, but to prevent a potential widespread security breach, NorthstarMLS and our partner vendors acted swiftly and decisively, mobilizing staff to begin implementing a mandatory password reset for all users as a protective measure.

We temporarily paused sending the password reset emails after some subscribers had difficulty receiving them due to their email providers diverting or blocking the notification entirely but have since resumed the process.

You don’t have to wait to receive the reset notification to change your password and will not get the email if you choose to do it on your own.

For assistance with changing your password or tips on how to make your new password more secure, please review this blog or contact our Help Desk at help@northstarmls.com.

New Security Enhancements 

In addition to resetting subscriber passwords, geolocation restrictions that limit access your NorthstarMLS SSO account to North America or through use of your company’s virtual private network (VPN) are now in place.

Later this year, logins will go directly through the NorthstarMLS Dashboard. In addition to providing expanded security, the Dashboard provides customized options for how you access all your NorthstarMLS tools, resources, and news.

I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience or frustration you may have experienced on Saturday. Your security is our top priority, and we appreciate your continued trust in NorthstarMLS.

Sincerely,
Tim Dain
CEO of NorthstarMLS