October DealsAmazon USOctober deal check: compare before you payAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsSlow PC?RecommendedPC slow today? Run a repair scan before it gets worseResolve common Windows issues and optimize system performance.Scan NowOctober DealsAmazon USDeal season is back - check today's better picksAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.See Picks×
Skip to content
The Finance Base
The Money Desk · Blog
Re:

23andMe’s Bankruptcy, Data Breach and What You Can Do About Your Genetic Data

The 2023 breach exposed information associated with nearly 7 million 23andMe customers, and the company’s consumer data later transferred in bankruptcy. Here’s what deletion, sample-storage changes and settlements mean for customers.
From TheFinanceBase Team4 min to read
Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Your 23andMe information was not necessarily posted publicly, but the company’s 2023 breach and 2025 bankruptcy created two distinct privacy risks: attackers obtained information associated with millions of customers, and the company’s assets—including consumer data—were later sold. You can take steps to manage data still held in your account, but deletion cannot retrieve copies already obtained by attackers.

What happened in the 2023 23andMe breach?

In May 2026, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said attackers used credential stuffing in 2023: they tried usernames and passwords exposed in earlier breaches and accessed about 14,000 23andMe accounts. California says attackers then exploited a vulnerability in the DNA Relatives feature and obtained information associated with nearly 7 million customers. The information included ancestry reports, details about biological relatives and percentages of shared DNA. These figures describe accounts accessed and customers whose associated information was obtained—not a finding that 7 million complete raw genome sequences were published online. California Department of Justice, May 28, 2026

California’s announcement describes nearly 7 million affected U.S. users, including 855,541 Californians. Arizona’s July 2026 announcement describes 6.9 million customers worldwide. Those are differently scoped figures; neither means every affected person had the same information exposed. California Department of Justice; Arizona Attorney General’s Office

What happened to customer data after 23andMe’s bankruptcy?

23andMe filed for bankruptcy protection in March 2025. The bankruptcy court approved the sale of company assets on June 27, 2025; those assets included consumer data. Arizona’s Attorney General says they were sold to TTAM Research Institute, a nonprofit formed by 23andMe co-founder and former CEO Anne Wojcicki, and that TTAM now operates as 23andMe Research Institute. Colorado Attorney General, July 2025; Arizona Attorney General’s Office, July 14, 2026

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
#1 Best Overall
AncestryDNA + Traits Genetic Test Kit: Personalized Genetic Traits, DNA Ethnicity Test, Origins & Ethnicities, Complete DNA Test, Ancestry Reports
  • TOP-SELLING CONSUMER DNA TEST: From your origins in over 3,600+ places around the world to the most connections to living relatives, no other DNA test kit delivers an experience as unique and interactive as AncestryDNA.
  • YOUR DATA, YOUR CONTROL: We give you full control over your genetic information. You decide what to share, and with whom.
  • DNA + TRAITS: Ever wondered where your freckles came from, or why you hate cilantro? AncestryDNA + Traits lets you discover 75+ genetic traits, allowing you to explore how your genes might have influenced a range of appearance, sensory, performance, nutrient, and other personal characteristics.
  • A FEW SIMPLE STEPS: Simply activate your DNA kit online and return your saliva sample in the prepaid package to our state-of-the-art lab. Your results will be available online in roughly six weeks.
  • ORIGINS AND INHERITANCE: AncestryDNA is the only DNA test that can show your origins results, DNA matches, and traits by each side of the family, without your parents taking a DNA test.

The transfer is separate from the breach. The breach concerns information attackers obtained; the bankruptcy sale concerns data and other assets transferred with the business. The Federal Trade Commission’s chairman noted that the company held genetic information, biological samples, health, ancestry and genealogy information, contact and billing information, and messages between genetic relatives. He also quoted the then-applicable privacy statement, which said personal information could be transferred in bankruptcy while the statement continued to apply to transferred information. The FTC argued that consumer-facing promises should be honored in a bankruptcy-related transaction. Federal Trade Commission, March 31, 2025

What the 2026 lawsuit and settlements do—and do not—establish

California’s lawsuit is not a court finding

On May 28, 2026, California sued Chrome Holding Co., formerly known as 23andMe, in San Francisco Superior Court. The complaint alleges that the company failed to maintain reasonable security and misled customers about the severity of the 2023 breach. Those are allegations by the state, not a reported judgment. Attorney General Bonta said the company “failed to meet its obligation under California law to keep that information safe” and “lied to consumers”; those statements describe his office’s position in bringing the case. California Department of Justice, May 28, 2026

Rank #2
Personalized Genetic Results, DNA Ethnicity Test, Find Relatives, Heritage, Origins & Ethnicities, Family History, Complete DNA Test, 3600+ Regions and Journeys, Top Selling, Ethnicity Reports
  • TOP-SELLING CONSUMER DNA TEST: From your origins in over 3,600 places around the world to the most connections to living relatives, no other DNA test kit delivers an experience as unique and interactive as AncestryDNA.
  • YOUR DATA, YOUR CONTROL: We give you full control over your genetic information. You decide what to share, and with whom.
  • A FEW SIMPLE STEPS: Simply activate your DNA kit online and return your saliva sample in the prepaid package to our state-of-the-art lab. Your results will be available online in roughly six weeks.
  • ORIGINS AND INHERITANCE: AncestryDNA provides more precise ancestral origins with greater geographic detail. Our innovative SideView technology takes your results even further by showing your origins and matches by parental side. *Some DNA features require an Ancestry subscription.
  • BUILD YOUR FAMILY TREE: Combine what you learn from your DNA results with an Ancestry subscription and gain access to millions of family trees and the world's largest collection of online family history records. *Access to record collections varies depending on subscription level.

The multistate settlement has limited available recovery

On July 14, 2026, Arizona’s Attorney General announced a settlement of bankruptcy claims by a coalition of 42 attorneys general. Reported terms include enhanced security requirements, risk analysis, an advisory board, compliance with applicable state privacy laws and continuing consumer deletion rights. Texas described the multistate settlement as $150 million, but said recovery from available bankruptcy-estate funds is limited to $18 million. The headline settlement amount is therefore not the same as the amount available to recover from the bankruptcy estate. Arizona Attorney General’s Office, July 14, 2026; Texas Attorney General’s Office, July 15, 2026

The separate class-action claims deadline has passed

Texas also reported a separate $46.75 million class-action settlement for affected U.S. customers who submitted claims by February 17, 2026. That deadline has passed. The announcement does not mean every affected customer automatically qualifies or has received payment; eligibility and claim status are individual. Texas Attorney General’s Office, July 15, 2026

What’s actually slowing this PC down?

Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Rank #3
Sale
Genetrace DNA Paternity Test Kit - Lab Fees & Shipping Included - At Home Collection Kit for Father and Child - Results in 1-2 Days
  • ABOUT THE TEST: The Genetrace DNA Paternity Test helps families conclusively determine if a man is the true father of a child.
  • NO HIDDEN FEES: Kit includes all lab fees and sample return costs to test one (1) child and one (1) potential father.
  • FAST RESULTS: Get secure, confidential results within 1-2 business days after testing begins. We'll keep you updated every step of the way.
  • EASY SAMPLE COLLECTION: No needles, no blood, no doctors. Collect your samples with our easy-to-use mouth swabs, then return them to the lab with the provided prepaid return envelope. It's quick, easy & painless.
  • ACCURATE & RELIABLE: Up to 27 genetic markers analyzed for over 99.999% accuracy. All tests performed TWICE in our AABB, ISO 17025 & CLIA accredited laboratory.

How to manage data still associated with your account

California’s March 2025 consumer alert describes three separate choices: deleting account data, changing whether a saliva sample is stored, and withdrawing permission for research use. The alert’s interface instructions date from 2025, so current labels or screens may differ; it does not verify the completion of any individual request. California Department of Justice, March 21, 2025

Request account-data deletion

  1. Sign in to your 23andMe account.
  2. Go to Settings, then open 23andMe Data.
  3. If you want a copy, download it before continuing; then choose Permanently Delete Data.
  4. Confirm the request using the link sent to your email.

Change sample storage separately

To change whether 23andMe stores your saliva sample, the California alert directs customers to account Preferences. This is a separate setting from deleting account data; the alert does not give a guarantee about the timing or completion of physical sample destruction for a particular customer. California Department of Justice, March 21, 2025

Rank #4
23andMe Ancestry Service Personal DNA Test Kit, Ethnicity & Heritage
  • MAP YOUR ORIGINS ACROSS 5,000+ REGIONS: Ancestry Composition breaks down your ethnicity across 5,000+ geographic regions worldwide, the most detailed ancestry breakdown of any consumer DNA service. Ancestry Timeline estimates how many generations ago your most recent ancestor from each population lived.
  • FIND LIVING RELATIVES: Opt in to DNA Relatives to see up to 1,500 people in the 23andMe database who share DNA with you, from close family to distant cousins, and message them directly. Your Family Tree builds itself automatically based on your DNA.
  • DISCOVER WHAT MAKES YOU UNIQUE: See how your DNA may influence physical features, sensory preferences, and habits across 30+ traits, including cilantro taste aversion to hair texture to deep sleep.
  • TRACE ANCIENT MIGRATIONS: Maternal and Paternal Haplogroup reports follow your ancestors' migration paths across continents over thousands of years (paternal haplogroup requires a Y chromosome). Find out how much of your ancestry can be traced back to the Neanderthals.
  • PRIVATE BY DESIGN: Your DNA data is encrypted, protected, and always under your control. Enhanced security measures are implemented to keep your information safe. Subject to 23andMe’s Terms of Service and Privacy Statement at 23andMe online.

Withdraw research permission separately

For research participation, the alert directs customers to Research and Product Consents to withdraw permission. This action is distinct from account deletion and sample-storage preferences. California Department of Justice, March 21, 2025

Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

What deletion can and cannot do

California says Californians may direct deletion of genetic data under state law, and state officials say deletion rights continue under the multistate settlement terms. The exact legal rules and remedies may vary by jurisdiction; California’s alert should not be read as a description of every state’s law. California Department of Justice, March 21, 2025; Arizona Attorney General’s Office, July 14, 2026

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Best Value
HomePaternity DNA Paternity Testing for Child and Father, FedEx Return, Over 99.99% Confidence, All Fees Included, Fast Results
  • About HomePaternity: This DNA test will conclusively determine if a man is the biological father of a child using a simple at-home kit including cheek swabs from the father and child.
  • Fast Results: Your kit includes Overnight FedEx return to the lab and results will be available within 1-2 days after your sample arrives, in our secure online portal.
  • Over 99.999% Confidence: With up to 34 genetic markers examined, we confirm paternity with the highest accuracy, typically 99.999%+. Tests are run twice in our lab, which has obtained over 6 certifications.
  • Easy Sample Collection: Collect your samples with mouth swabs, then return in the pre-paid Overnight mailer. Includes testing for 1 child and 1 possible father; can add more participants after kit registration.
  • Internal Lab: With over 25 years of experience and over 20 million tests performed, we don’t use third-party labs.

A deletion request can address data held by the company going forward, subject to applicable law and how the request is processed. It cannot undo the 2023 breach or recall information that an attacker already obtained. The cited state announcements do not establish that data deleted from an account can be recovered from third-party copies.

Secure access to any account you still use

The credential-stuffing attack relied on credentials exposed elsewhere, so protecting accounts you continue to use is a separate task from deleting 23andMe data. Use a unique password rather than one reused on another site, and enable multifactor authentication if the account offers it. Arizona’s Attorney General says the multistate investigation found that safeguards against credential stuffing had failed to require multifactor authentication. A security key is one optional way to add multifactor authentication where supported, but no new sign-in measure removes data already exposed in the breach. Arizona Attorney General’s Office, July 14, 2026

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

More post from the Money Desk

  1. The Money DeskBlogTheFinanceBase09 OCT 267 minMortgage Escrow FAQs: Taxes, Insurance, Shortages, and Refunds
  2. The Money DeskBlogTheFinanceBase09 OCT 265 minHow Mortgage Escrow Accounts Work and What Homeowners Pay For
  3. The Money DeskBlogTheFinanceBase09 OCT 265 minHow to Read a Stock Chart, Volume and Market-Cap Data
Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?Free driver scan
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?Free scan - under a minute

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.