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California Attorney General Sues 23andMe Over Massive Data Breach Affecting Millions
The state of California has filed a lawsuit against genetic testing company 23andMe, accusing it of failing to adequately protect user data during a cyberattack that compromised information belonging to nearly seven million customers.
Attorney General Rob Bonta initiated the legal action Thursday in San Francisco Superior Court, targeting Chrome Holding Co.-the name 23andMe operated under amid its bankruptcy proceedings last year.
In July 2024, a bankruptcy court approved the $305 million acquisition of 23andMe by TTAM Research Institute, a nonprofit led by the company’s former CEO, Anne Wojcicki.
According to court documents, hackers infiltrated 23andMe’s systems for approximately five months in 2023, accessing sensitive data including ancestry details and genetic health information. Despite detecting over one million login attempts to a single customer account in one day, the company allegedly failed to take adequate protective measures.
The lawsuit further accuses 23andMe of minimizing the severity of the breach, claiming publicly that it was doing everything possible to safeguard customer information even as stolen data was being sold on the dark web.
At the time, 23andMe acknowledged unauthorized access to profile information linked to its DNA Relatives feature. Following the breach, the company implemented two-step verification and required customers to reset their passwords.
In addition to the state’s lawsuit, 23andMe agreed to a $30 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit related to the breach.
Founded in 2006 in San Francisco, 23andMe was an early leader in consumer genetic testing, offering DNA analysis through saliva samples to provide health and ancestry reports. However, the company has faced ongoing challenges in establishing a sustainable business model.
Representatives for 23andMe and Chrome Holding Co. have been contacted for comment regarding the lawsuit, which seeks multiple civil penalties.