genetic data

California’s attorney general sued Chrome Holding Co. (formerly 23andMe) for failing to protect user data in a 2023 breach affecting 7 million people. The breach, using credential stuffing from a 2017 MyHeritage data leak, allowed attackers to access 14,000 accounts and steal genetic data, health reports, and relative information, which was later sold on the dark web. The lawsuit seeks penalties and injunctions against the company for violating privacy laws.

Scientists have discovered that human origins are more complex than previously believed, with multiple intermingling populations in Africa contributing to the evolution of early humans over hundreds of thousands of years. Genetic data from groups like the Nama people and fossil evidence suggest gene exchange persisted even after populations began diverging around 120,000–135,000 years ago.

Genetic data from over 500,000 volunteers was leaked in a security breach at the UK Biobank, a biomedical research database. The incident raises concerns about data privacy and security in large-scale health research initiatives.

23andMe is potentially selling data beyond genetic information, including personal health details, drinking habits, and risk tolerance collected through survey questions.