The genetic testing firm 23andMe is being fined £2.31m by the UK’s privateness watchdog over their 2023 information breach that noticed the non-public info of seven million individuals stolen.
Greater than 150,000 Britons had their private info taken by hackers. Household timber, well being stories, race and ethnicity info could all have been stolen, together with addresses, dates of start and profile photos.
“Crazy. This could be used by Nazis,” mentioned one individual on the time who appeared within the database.
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A 23andMe genetic testing package. File pic: Reuters
The ICO’s nice comes after a joint investigation with Canada’s privateness watchdog.
It’s the most extreme punishment the watchdog can impose and displays repeated failures to guard extraordinarily delicate information, based on the data commissioner.
“This was a profoundly damaging breach that exposed sensitive personal information, family histories, and even health conditions of thousands of people in the UK,” mentioned John Edwards, the UK’s Data Commissioner.
“23andMe failed to take basic steps to protect this information.
“Their safety methods have been insufficient, the warning indicators have been there, and the corporate was sluggish to reply. This left individuals’s most delicate information weak to exploitation and hurt.”
Regardless of the assault beginning in April 2023, 23andMe didn’t open an investigation till October that yr, when an worker found the stolen information had been marketed on the market on Reddit.
The corporate’s defences solely grew to become sturdy sufficient to halt the assault by the tip of that yr – however that was not the tip of 23andMe’s troubles.
‘Sue you to oblivion’
By March this yr, the best-known genetic testing firm on the planet had filed for chapter, unable to rebuild belief after the hack and make sufficient cash from its enterprise mannequin.
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23andMe’s co-founder Anne Wojcicki. File pic: AP
It’s going to now be bought for $305m (£225m) to 23andMe’s unique co-founder, Anne Wojcicki and her non-profit TTAM.
However a blistering alternate within the US Senate final week laid out contemporary considerations for the delicate information customers have shared with 23andMe.
Senator Josh Hawley accused Joseph Selsavage, the interim chief govt of 23andMe, of mendacity to his prospects when he says they will delete their genetic information from the corporate’s databases.
“You’re not deleting it,” he mentioned, “because if you were, your company wouldn’t be worth $300m.”
“I hope [users] will rush to the courthouse […] to sue you into oblivion.”
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Mr Selsavage denied Senator Hawley’s claims, saying his firm deletes all consumer information when requested.
“That’s the notice which looks forward and says, ‘look, you have a legal obligation under UK law to continue to protect the personal data of these 150,000 UK citizens’. And that’s arguably the more important,” he mentioned.
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NY Legal professional Common Letitia James was one of many lawmakers urging individuals to delete their information from 23andMe’s databases. File pic: Reuters
A complete of 28 US attorneys normal final week launched a authorized case towards 23andMe to guard consumer information throughout the sale, and urged prospects to purge their info from the agency’s database, given the sensitivity of the info it has collected over time.
23andMe already sells its customers’ genetic information and has made a minimum of 30 offers with biotech and pharmaceutical corporations like GSK.
These embody permitting people to delete their account and choose out of analysis at any time, notifying prospects a minimum of two days earlier than the deal closes about what TTAM’s acquisition means for them and agreeing, if TTAM have been to promote the corporate once more, solely to promote it to somebody who agrees to undertake TTAM’s privateness polices and adjust to information legal guidelines.
Prospects will even be provided two years of free Experian identification theft monitoring, whereas TTAM will proceed to permit “de-identified data” for use for scientific and biomedical analysis at universities and nonprofits.
No cash for UK victims
The £2.31m nice cash will go to the state moderately than to people affected by the hack.
Within the US, victims of the hack gained $30m in a category motion lawsuit final yr, however that is not an possibility within the UK, regardless of the extremely delicate info that was shared.
Class motion lawsuits for information breaches may “improve and increase accountability for data-protection breaches”, based on solicitor Alex Lawrence Archer from the info legislation company AWO.
“But also help individuals who are affected get something back, help them get redress, because a fine paid to the ICO doesn’t achieve that. Although [the fine] is welcome, it doesn’t help individuals.”
For anybody fascinated by utilizing one of many many genetic testing corporations which have sprung up since 23andMe was based in 2006, Mr Lawrence Archer has cautionary recommendation.
“Handing over your genetic data is a really big step, and it’s something that […] people have hitherto been encouraged to take quite lightly,” he mentioned.
“There is no arduous and quick rule like it’s best to otherwise you should not do it, but it surely’s one thing that it’s best to assume actually rigorously about.
“It can be a quite permanent step that’s very difficult to undo. It’s not something that should be done lightly.”
23andMe has been contacted for remark.
