Current:Home > Finance23andMe: Hackers accessed data of 6.9 million users. How did it happen? -ProfitPioneers Hub
23andMe: Hackers accessed data of 6.9 million users. How did it happen?
View
Date:2025-04-11 16:30:07
Ancestry and genetics company 23andMe confirmed Monday that "threat actors" used about 14,000 accounts to access the ancestry data of 6.9 million people, as first reported by TechCrunch.
The hackers were able to access the accounts by using usernames and passwords from other compromised websites that were the same on 23andMe, according to the company.
"We do not have any indication that there has been a breach or data security incident within our systems, or that 23andMe was the source of the account credentials used in these attacks," a company spokesperson said in an email.
The accounts accessed make up approximately .1% of the company's user base, according to a Friday filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The company said that 5.5 million users who opted in to 23andMe's Relatives feature, which links people with common DNA. Another 1.4 million users had their family tree information accessed.
Hacked data includes personal and DNA information
The company originally disclosed the incident in October in a blog post that did not mention the scope of the compromised data, though they said they had launched an investigation.
The accessed data includes personal and family information and may include the following, according to the company:
DNA relatives' profile information
- display name
- how recently they logged into their account
- their relationship labels
- their predicted relationship and percentage DNA shared with their DNA Relatives matches
- their ancestry reports and matching DNA segments, specifically where on their chromosomes they and their relative had matching DNA
- self-reported location (city/zip code)
- ancestor birth locations and family names
- profile picture, birth year
- a weblink to a family tree they created, and anything else they may have included in the “Introduce yourself” section of the profile
Family tree information
- display name
- relationship labels
- birth year
- self-reported location (city/zip code)
How to create a strong password
To help prevent similar incidents from compromising consumer information, strong and varied password protection is recommended.
Passwords don’t need to be an overcomplicated string of numbers, letters and symbols that are impossible to memorize.
When creating a strong password, think of a phrase or a string of words that will be easy to remember. For example: Flowersgrowoutside
Then, add in some numbers and special characters.
A password like Flow3rsgrow0uts!de% is trickier for a hacker, human or bot, to crack and gain access to your valuable information.
If you don't want to memorize a plethora of passwords, one can use a digital password manager.
Contributing: Cody Goodwin
veryGood! (4)
Related
- The FTC says 'gamified' online job scams by WhatsApp and text on the rise. What to know.
- Olivia Rodrigo's Ex Zack Bia Weighs In On Whether Her Song Vampire Is About Him
- Israeli military sentences commander to 10 days in prison over shooting of Palestinian motorist
- Trump to skip second GOP debate and head to Detroit to court autoworkers instead
- Federal court filings allege official committed perjury in lawsuit tied to Louisiana grain terminal
- Bill Maher postpones HBO 'Real Time' return during writers' strike following backlash
- Hermoso criticizes Spanish soccer federation and accuses it of threatening World Cup-winning players
- Man gets 20 years in prison for killing retired St. Louis police officer during carjacking attempt
- Brianna LaPaglia Reveals The Meaning Behind Her "Chickenfry" Nickname
- Ariana Grande files for divorce from Dalton Gomez after 2 years of marriage
Ranking
- Krispy Kreme offers a free dozen Grinch green doughnuts: When to get the deal
- A bus plunges into a ravine in Montenegro, killing at least 2 and injuring several
- Why Alabama's Nick Saban named Jalen Milroe starting quarterback ahead of Mississippi game
- Researchers unearth buried secrets of Spanish warship that sank in 1810, killing hundreds
- Man can't find second winning lottery ticket, sues over $394 million jackpot, lawsuit says
- How Meghan Markle Ushered In a Bold New Fashion Era at 2023 Invictus Games
- Horoscopes Today, September 18, 2023
- Return of 'American Horror Story: Delicate' is almost here. How to watch
Recommendation
Southern California rocked by series of earthquakes: Is a bigger one brewing?
The 4-day workweek is among the UAW's strike demands: Why some say it's a good idea
Federal investigators subpoena Pennsylvania agency for records related to chocolate plant explosion
Katy Perry sells music catalog to Litmus Music for reported $225 million
The 401(k) millionaires club keeps growing. We'll tell you how to join.
A bus coach crashes in Austria, killing a woman and injuring 20 others
Former Belarusian operative under Lukashenko goes on Swiss trial over enforced disappearances
Migrants burst into southern Mexico asylum office demanding papers