An nameless hacker is claiming to be promoting “hundreds of thousands” of genetic profiles cobbled collectively from hijacked 23andMe buyer accounts.
The vendor recommended the profiles, which embody electronic mail addresses, photographs, gender, date of beginning and DNA ancestry, might be used to focus on customers based mostly on their ethnicity.
23andMe, a genetics take a look at package firm that provides ancestry and well being experiences by analyzing an individual’s saliva, confirmed Friday that real buyer knowledge was on the market on a hacker discussion board. Nevertheless, a spokesperson informed Bloomberg Information the corporate discovered no indication of a breach in its info methods. As an alternative, it appeared the attacker had logged into particular person prospects’ accounts on 23andMe by re-using credentials present in databases for hacked accounts of different companies on the web.
The hacker additionally appeared to create profiles of extra folks by copying the names of the 23andMe prospects’ family members who had been related utilizing the corporate’s “DNA Kinfolk” device. 23andMe’s DNA Kinfolk characteristic let customers join with potential family members who share related DNA and alternate their genetic profiles.
“We’re taking this situation critically and can proceed our investigation to substantiate these preliminary outcomes,” 23andMe mentioned in an announcement.
On Oct. 2, an nameless vendor posted that they’d a “a million Ashkenazi database” on a discussion board for promoting hacked knowledge, referring to folks of central and jap European Jewish heritage.
Supply hyperlink
