News reported that a genetic site, 23andMe, was hacked.
Always heard that you can fool the genetic sites by swapping DNA with another person who was interested in getting their DNA looked up too. In other words, Mr Jones would send in Mr. Smith’s sample and Mr. Smith would send in Mr. Jone’s DNA sample. The database would have no true record of the indvidual’s’ DNA because the samples were swapped. Hackers would have useless info on Mr. Jones and Mr. Smith unless the DNA sites require ID verification.
I must by more dense than usual.
1- why would anyone submit their DNA sample under another name? Benefits? Reasons?
2- why would hackers want a person’s DNA results?
What am I missing here?
MORE: I found the article that explains it. [kinda]
"The bad actor did so “in instances where users recycled login credentials — that is, usernames and passwords that were used on 23andMe.com were the same as those used on other websites that have been previously hacked.”
In other words, use different creds for different sites. Problem solved
Chicken genetics is my hobby, so knowing my own genetics is definitely of interest. But i have quite thorough family trees going back generations, so finding unknown relatives (unless we’re talking something like 4th or 5th cousins) is unlikely to give new information. And I’m not sure whether I want to know about genes with deleterious affects…I both do and do not.
I definitely don’t want anyone else to have my information unless I deliberately choose to give it…my kids being an obvious exception.
It might not matter (if you are white), here is an article from 5 years ago:
But as these registries of genetic identity grow, it’s becoming harder for individuals to retain any anonymity. Already, 60 percent of Americans of Northern European descent — the primary group using these sites — can be identified through such databases whether or not they’ve joined one themselves, Within two or three years, 90 percent of Americans of European descent will be identifiable from their DNA