23andMe Faces Class Action Investigation for Data Breach of Customer Info

Schubert Jonckheer & Kolbe LLP has launched an investigation into 23andMe, a leading genetic-testing company, concerning a cyberattack involving customers’ sensitive personal information.

According to news reports, an attack on 23andMe’s user data occurred on August 11, 2023. The hacker claimed to have obtained 300 terabytes of data that they intended to sell. In early October 2023, user data misappropriated in the incident appeared for sale on a hacking forum, including information from “one million 23andMe users of Jewish Ashkenazi descent and 100,000 23andMe Chinese users.” The data includes personal information like name, sex, birth year, and some details about genetic ancestry results.

On October 6, 2023, 23andMe acknowledged that certain “customer profile information” which was shared through its “DNA Relatives” feature had been released. Later in October, the same hacker released an additional dataset of 23andMe user information concerning four million customers descended from Great Britain, including data from “the wealthiest people living in the U.S. and Western Europe on this list.” Together, more than five million 23andMe customers may be impacted by the August 2023 cybersecurity incident.

Connecticut’s Attorney General has opened an inquiry into the matter. The Attorney General’s October 30, 2023 letter to 23andMe notes that the “increased frequency of antisemitic and anti-Asian rhetoric and violence in recent years means that this may be a particularly dangerous time for such targeted information to be released to the public.”

If you received a notice of this cybersecurity incident or are 23andMe customer and wish to obtain additional information about your legal rights please, complete the form below for a free legal consultation.