DNA Testing Websites Are Playing With Personal Information

In our privacy-breach stricken age it’s a common tale to see someone’s video gaming account or online dating profile leaked by hackers, but having someone’s actual DNA data exposed on the internet is rather new. Don’t worry, it’s not a rampant biologist who is on the hunt, it’s more or less the fault of careless consumer genealogy websites. Still, the issue at hand is no joke. With the rising popularity of at-home DNA testing services, millions of people are entrusting their most private information to companies, and if that data is handled poorly, your family tree and ancestry line might end up in the hands of unscrupulous individuals.

Growing a family tree from a spit is a shaky business

Direct-to-consumer genetic testing or at-home DNA testing is the latest fad of our generation with young and mature adults and even seniors picking up an interest in exploring their roots. The reason behind this popularity is convenience; after ordering a DNA testing kit from a company such as MyHeritage, AncestryDNA, 23andMe or even National Geographic – who partners with gene sequencing company Helix to conduct the DNA detailing – all there is left to do is to spit in the special test tube provided and then send it back. Then voila, after this you’ll receive an extensive breakdown on your natural strengths and weaknesses , gene history and how much percent of a given nationality is present in your DNA.

DIY gene testing companies have received a fair amount of backlash and not necessarily just for their lack of security. First of all, the results could lead to identity-disrupting revelations, causing strife and even leading to family-splitting arguments. Yet it’s important to note that the results aren’t 100% accurate. Kristen V. Brown who writes about genealogy and DNA testing sent her sample to four different companies and received four starkly conflicting results.

The explanation is that each company works with different algorithms that are influenced by the current database. Therefore someone’s initial results might change if more people with similar genes have uploaded their sample in the meantime. It appears that mapping someone’s ancestry from spit isn’t that straightforward as we think.

Companies don’t understand the importance of security

Whether you agree with the practice of direct-to-consumer genetic testing or not, we can all agree that the information they provide is highly personal and it’s your business alone as to who it should be shared with. Yet companies fail to realize the responsibility of handling this data and the necessary measures that they should take in order to prevent breaches. The lack of security was highlighted after a file surfaced on the internet featuring the email addresses and encrypted passwords of more than 92 million MyHeritage members.

It seems that some phishers managed to find a crack in the defense of the site, which was not up to par. Fortunately no DNA data was leaked and the passwords did appear in a ciphered form but in theory this code can be decoded, giving hackers easy access to your ancestry recordsand family tree.

How can I protect myself?

The truth is that VPNs – despite their numerous achievements in the field of privacy protection – won’t be able to help you here since it’s the company’s responsibility to safeguard your data. Using an encrypted channel only protects against malware and trackers and won’t affect how the site logs your account credentials. Therefore it’s important to turn your attention to the company’s website and read the fine print before entrusting them with your DNA.

Very few people pay attention to the privacy policy and are oblivious to the fact that their data can often be shared with third-party researchers. It’s also worth mentioning that you have the ability to manually purge your information after taking a DNA test, which is a surefire way to protect it from ever being sold or exposed.