That’s why I bought the tests on Amazon on Father’s Day sale. Then used completely fake info and fake email to register on the testing company site. Totally anonymous as there’s no way to link the purchase to results.
Breach exposed more than one million DNA profiles on a major genealogy database
171–180 of 424 posts
Re: Breach exposed more than one million DNA profiles on a major genealogy database
#172This is why I want a genetic sequencing lab that will sequence your genome, send it to you encrypted by your own public key and once you confirm receipt and verify it is valid, DELETE IT COMPLETELY. Along with the record you were their customer after the 6 months or whatever required for waiting out chargebacks. Then you can analyze your DNA with a desktop app that doesn't send out any data. The deleting part is hard…
For GEDMatch, Ancestry.com, 23andMe, etc, most of the value comes from being able to aggregate many people's data. If they had to delete it after collecting, they'd have to charge a lot more, and there's just no market for that.
Perhaps they could anonymize the data (at least, purge foreign key references to account/billing info) after 6 months, but not delete it.
Re: Breach exposed more than one million DNA profiles on a major genealogy database
#173Earlier quoted context omitted.
Right, maybe this is where I’m being ignorant, but would there be a way to do the actual sequencing down to a consumer device? I presume the machines used are pretty complex.
DNA sequencers are not that expensive [1]. And I’m told the actual lab work is not that hard or dangerous (high school level?). I fact, the database correlating millions of people’s DNA with their medical history and migration history is probably the hardest part. But the potential market is there. I’d gladly play $1000 to have my sequence, even unanalyzed, with the knowledge no one else does. 1 cursory look at eBay.…
So if you purchase all the consumables (flow cells + chemicals) in low quantities, a single human genome will probably run you around $2000 in materials. With the bulk orders from their website you could get it down to half of that (so probably even more if you were doing really big bulk orders).
Re: Breach exposed more than one million DNA profiles on a major genealogy database
#174This is why I want a genetic sequencing lab that will sequence your genome, send it to you encrypted by your own public key and once you confirm receipt and verify it is valid, DELETE IT COMPLETELY. Along with the record you were their customer after the 6 months or whatever required for waiting out chargebacks. Then you can analyze your DNA with a desktop app that doesn't send out any data. The deleting part is hard…
Seems unlikely to be a sustainable business. For GEDMatch, Ancestry.com, 23andMe, etc, most of the value comes from being able to aggregate many people's data. If they had to delete it after collecting, they'd have to charge a lot more, and there's just no market for that. Perhaps they could anonymize the data (at least, purge foreign key references to account/billing info) after 6 months, but not delete it.
"Anonymized data" is a marketing term.
Re: Breach exposed more than one million DNA profiles on a major genealogy database
#175As someone who works in cybersecurity, it's always hard for me to interpret PR language like "orchestrated through a sophisticated attack". This could be aimed towards non-savvy readers meaning basically anything or it could be accurate and describe a nation-state (although I don't get the feeling of a sophisticated nation-state actor here). The DoJ used similar wording when prosecuting Aaron Schwartz for using Pytho…
Re: Breach exposed more than one million DNA profiles on a major genealogy database
#176Earlier quoted context omitted.
> One of the core tenets of Mormon faith is that the dead can be baptized into the faith after their passing. Baptism of the dead evolved from the beliefs that baptism is necessary for salvation and that the family unit can continue to exist together beyond mortal life if all members are baptized. > Mormons trace their family trees to find the names of ancestors who died without learning about the restored Mormon Gos…
That leads to my afterlife nightmare scenario. I die bravely in glorious battle and am chosen by the Valkyries for Valhalla. One evening as we feast after that day's fighting, quaffing giant tankards of mead and boasting of our deeds, there comes a knock at the door. Two young men in suits enter, and go to speak to Odin. Odin then call for me to come over. He tells me that the young men are Mormons, and that some dis…
At least, I recall my religion teacher (a catholic priest, we have such a class in public schools in Italy tho they vary in content and quality) telling us that some decades ago.
You do not go to heaven if you're an atheist tho, as _denying_ there is something divine puts you in the bad list, sorry.
Re: Breach exposed more than one million DNA profiles on a major genealogy database
#177This is why I want a genetic sequencing lab that will sequence your genome, send it to you encrypted by your own public key and once you confirm receipt and verify it is valid, DELETE IT COMPLETELY. Along with the record you were their customer after the 6 months or whatever required for waiting out chargebacks. Then you can analyze your DNA with a desktop app that doesn't send out any data. The deleting part is hard…
Seems unlikely to be a sustainable business. For GEDMatch, Ancestry.com, 23andMe, etc, most of the value comes from being able to aggregate many people's data. If they had to delete it after collecting, they'd have to charge a lot more, and there's just no market for that. Perhaps they could anonymize the data (at least, purge foreign key references to account/billing info) after 6 months, but not delete it.
Re: Breach exposed more than one million DNA profiles on a major genealogy database
#178This is why I want a genetic sequencing lab that will sequence your genome, send it to you encrypted by your own public key and once you confirm receipt and verify it is valid, DELETE IT COMPLETELY. Along with the record you were their customer after the 6 months or whatever required for waiting out chargebacks. Then you can analyze your DNA with a desktop app that doesn't send out any data. The deleting part is hard…