Victims of a 2023 data hack at genetics testing company 23andMe don dey set to receive multi-million payout from the firm. The settlement na part of bankruptcy proceedings wey dey follow di breach wey affect thousands of users.
Representatives of Chrome Holding and 23andMe don dey contacted for comment. Chrome Holding last year sell 23andMe assets to TTAM Research Institute, an entity wey Anne Wojcicki, di co-founder of 23andMe dey operate. She win di company assets through bankruptcy auction with bid of $305m.
Di ruling say di settlement go first pay to Kroll Restructuring, wey dey represent di victims, within five business days from Tuesday. Kroll go then distribute di funds to di victims, according to di ruling. Di appointment of companies like Kroll na typical for corporate bankruptcy proceedings.
Di BBC don contact di legal team wey dey represent di victims to ask how many people go receive di payout. 23andMe early last year file for bankruptcy, about 18 months after hackers wey able to access roughly 14,000 user accounts. Because di company offer comprehensive genetic profiles of people wey submit dia DNA, including genetic markers related to dia health and family history, some of di information wey hackers access na highly personal.
While di number of accounts wey hackers access directly for di breach only represent small fraction of 23andMe total users, di hackers wey able to access di profiles of those users relatives. That give dem access to millions of profiles wey 23andMe host. Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), a UK watchdog, don waka come inside. Di ICO say 23andMe fail to put adequate measures for place to secure sensitive user data before di incident.
For May, Rob Bonta, di Attorney General of California, sue di company following investigation wey find say 23andMe fail to take basic steps to protect users data. Bonta also claim say 23andMe lie to consumers about di severity of its 2023 data breach. Di company continue to operate since di bankruptcy, offering DNA testing kits to people online. 23andMe wey once value at $6bn, start for 2006 and go public for 2021, but e never turn profit.
