HOPKINSVILLE, KY – Christian County residents who previously sent their DNA to a genetic website may soon be compensated for a past breach. Attorney General Russell Coleman announced that Kentuckians who had their personal information compromised by 23andMe will see the results of a settlement between the website and the U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee.
In October 2023, genetic testing company 23andMe announced a data breach had affected 6.9 million of their consumers, including 69,188 in Kentucky, according to a news release from the attorney general’s office. The breach exposed a wide range of data about 23andMe customers, including genetic ancestry information, and subsets of this data were subsequently published for sale on the dark web.
The states have approved claims totaling $150 million, but the bankrupt company does not have enough assets to satisfy all creditors. A payment of $18 million will be made immediately. Attorney General Coleman says that out of the $18 million, Kentucky will receive $259,375.
An investigation by attorneys general found 23andMe failed to employ safeguards like multifactor authentication to investigate unusual login patterns including a massive spike in login attempts, and to properly review and test design features.
Attorney General Coleman issued a consumer alert to encourage Kentuckians to delete their 23andMe data. They have provided a step-by-step guide to protecting personal information in the future. General Coleman joined 41 other attorneys general from other states to resolve allegations.
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