California Attorney General sues 23andMe successor for 2023 data breach
Summary
California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta is suing Chrome Holding, the company that took over 23andMe, for a data breach in 2023. The breach exposed sensitive genetic information of nearly seven million users and involved the sale of data on the dark web, affecting certain ethnic groups during a time of increased hate crimes.Key Facts
- The 2023 data breach exposed genetic details such as disease risks, ancestry, and information about relatives of nearly seven million users.
- California Attorney General Rob Bonta claims 23andMe did not protect user data properly and misled customers about the breach’s severity.
- Hackers accessed accounts using stolen passwords in a method called "credential stuffing."
- Stolen user data was sold on the dark web, highlighting users identified as Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) and Jewish.
- 23andMe was fined £2.31 million by a UK watchdog for failing to secure sensitive data of over 155,000 UK users.
- Genetic data is treated as especially sensitive under UK law and requires extra protections.
- The UK investigation found 23andMe failed to have strong login security measures.
- 23andMe filed for bankruptcy in 2023 and was bought by Chrome Holding, which is now being sued.
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