🧬 23andMe breach leaves families vulnerable, as a lawsuit unveils a security lapse of enormous magnitude.
A legal battle unveils a massive slip-up at 23andMe, putting countless families at risk
We're reader-supported and only partner with Attorneys and brands we trust. When you buy through links on our site we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.
Imagine trying to peek into your family’s past, and suddenly, your most private details are out in the wild, for sale to the highest bidder. That’s the scary scene at 23andMe, a well-known DNA testing company. According to ClassAction.org huge lawsuit has just hit the headlines, accusing the company of a big-time security mess-up that’s put millions of lives at risk.
According to ClassAction.org lawsuit, was filed in California courts on October 9, says 23andMe tried to pass the blame onto “bad actors” who messed with specific accounts. These were mainly accounts linked to a special feature called DNA Relatives. But, the suit says 23andMe’s story about “recycled login credentials” is just smoke and mirrors to cover up their own security failings.
With over 14 million users around the globe, the fallout from this screw-up is gigantic. The hackers got their hands on names, birth dates, genetic info, profile pictures, and where people live. Basically, it's a full download of who you are!
And here's a terrifying twist: reports say the hack targeted certain groups based on their roots. The stolen data, now floating around in shady online spots like BreachForums, has details on over 1 million Ashkenazi Jews and 100,000 users of Chinese heritage. This is very troubling, especially with recent terrorist attacks in Israel.
The lawsuit criticizes 23andMe for being careless with such sensitive data as people’s identities, relatives, and families. And who you are in not like email or phone, it’s not something that you can just change. This could be a lifetime of looking over your shoulder for those affected.
The suit also gives a thumbs down to 23andMe’s way of telling people about the breach. Their announcement didn’t clear up much or tell victims if the danger was over or what was being done to stop this from happening again.
This lawsuit wants to stand up for all those whose personal or health info got caught in this web of mess that came to light around October 6, 2023. For those fearing their data is now in the wrong hands, this lawsuit might be a way to fight back. But, the path to any settlement still looks like a long road ahead.
The full picture of who breached the security, why the data was stolen, how much more the attackers have, and whether it is actually focused entirely on Ashkenazim is still unclear, but it is a wake-up call for everyone who uses the service and how we need to be careful with our data everywhere.
In a world where digging into our DNA is a click away, the 23andMe mix-up shows how quickly things can go south, turning curiosity about where we come from into a real-life horror show.
Read the original story on ClassAction.org
