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California sues 23andMe, alleging it failed to protect user data in 2023 breach
Rob Bonta says 23andMe failed to protect sensitive genetic data and misled consumers after hackers accessed about 6.9 million U.S. accounts.
- On Thursday, California Attorney General Rob Bonta sued Chrome Holding, the firm formerly known as 23andMe, alleging it failed to protect sensitive user data in a 2023 breach affecting an estimated 6.9 million customers.
- Hackers exploited the company's lack of basic security protocols by using "credential stuffing"—reusing passwords from prior breaches—allowing threat actors to operate undetected within 23andMe systems for over five months before demanding a ransom.
- Stolen data specifically targeted about 1.1 million Asian-Pacific Islander and Ashkenazi Jewish users. Bonta called the exposure "disturbing and incredibly dangerous" amid "mounting anti-Asian American and Pacific Islander and antisemitic hate and violence."
- Chrome Holding previously agreed to pay $50 million in January to resolve most U.S. customer claims during bankruptcy; the new lawsuit now seeks civil penalties and injunctions blocking further violations of California privacy law.
- The ICO investigated the breach, finding 155,592 UK residents were affected, while Bonta's lawsuit aims to enforce California law mandating "one of the highest levels of protection" for genetic information.
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32 Articles
California Sues Owner of Former 23andMe
California is taking the company once known as 23andMe to court over what it calls a deeply mishandled leak of genetic data. State Attorney General Rob Bonta on Thursday sued Chrome Holding Co., 23andMe's post-bankruptcy successor, saying it failed to safeguard highly sensitive information—including health indicators, DNA profiles, and...
·Miami, United States
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Associated Press News+16 Reposted by 16 other sources
California sues 23andMe, alleging it failed to protect user data in 2023 breach
California’s attorney general is suing the genetic testing company formerly known as 23andMe, alleging it failed to protect sensitive user data in a 2023 breach that affected nearly 7 million people across the country.
·New York, United States
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Total News Sources32
Leaning Left11Leaning Right3Center13Last UpdatedBias Distribution48% Center
Bias Distribution
- 48% of the sources are Center
48% Center
L 41%
C 48%
11%
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