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Breach exposed more than one million DNA profiles on a major genealogy database

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Re: Breach exposed more than one million DNA profiles on a major genealogy database

#161

Post by andrewem »

kbenson wrote: post #37
anderspitman wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nebula is definitely an interesting entry into the market. There's also Dante Labs[0], which often offers 30x whole genome in the 200-300USD range. You can download all your raw data (including FASTQs, h37-aligned BAMs, and VCFs) from AWS. There are some quality concerns (and they use BGI instead of Illumina sequencers), but at that price it's tempting to do Dante and Nebula as a check on each other. Dante also has w…

> including an option to destroy your saliva sample Until I read that sentence, it honestly never occurred to me they would keep that around. The data, sure. Biological samples? I just assumed they would be disposed of after use.

A sample can be used for multiple analyses. For instance, a customer might pay for autosomal DNA analysis and later want to pay extra for mitochondrial DNA analysis. If the sample has been destroyed, no problem just send in a new sample - unless the subject has died in the meantime.

Re: Breach exposed more than one million DNA profiles on a major genealogy database

#162

Post by hobofan »

mirimir wrote: post #107
jrumbut wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Regardless of their policies, they still want to store it themselves and put it on the Internet. I am hoping that someday there will be a sequencing company that will mail me a drive containing the only copy and destroy the sample. I'm not worried about a sophisticated attack on my individual sequence but I suspect most of these services are or will be targeted by advanced and persistent attackers. Call me paranoid b…

I wonder if there's some way to do testing on a walk-in basis, in a way that would allow transparency re the lack of sample and data retention. So a customer walks in, provides a sample, and walks out with data on a thumb drive. And perhaps also with the module that was used for the analysis.

That would obviously more expensive than the $100 sequencing a lot of people are looking for, but for very privacy conscious people this could be available right now with a MinION[0] that's already in the $1000-2000 range, if you really want to take the whole device with you.

[0]: https://nanoporetech.com/products/minion

Re: Breach exposed more than one million DNA profiles on a major genealogy database

#163

Post by thephyber »

kilo_bravo_3 wrote: post #109
slg wrote: post #27

Can someone explain the potential short to medium term fears of one's DNA leaking? My initial assumption is that it would be less of a problem compared to nearly any other personal data leaking. Like it certainly sounds creepy, but credit card or other financial data being stolen presents a huge headache and creates a lot of work. I understand that in specific instances, for example when paternity is in question or i…

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. The DNA records aren't the type that can be used to clone you, or frame you with some kind of non-existent DNA copying machine. They are autosomal records. (or similar genealogical, or non-medical, types) The people spinning fantastic fairytales about how the jackbooted thug of big brother is going to crush your throat probably don't even know what autosomal means and no amount of eductio…

> there is no risk to you.

There is always risk. You probably don't see it yet just like only privacy-forward folks thought Facebook's encouragement to "share everything" publicly (circa 2007) foresaw the problems that would commit 10+ years later.

The small benefit of closure to a stranger who has already dealt with the grief of loss is not worth it for me. It depends on your personal value system.

> It has been illegal for them to do so for many years.

Laws can change. Just like I always assume a company can screw me after I agree to a ToS (eg. through a pivot, an M&A, or a bankruptcy), I assume any law can change with enough societal acclimation.

Also, laws are relative to where you are. If you try to visit another country, expect that they might have access to your leaked data. Hopefully you never want to work as a spy in the future.

Re: Breach exposed more than one million DNA profiles on a major genealogy database

#165

Post by js2 »

Trasmatta wrote: post #113
SomewhatLikely wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why not just baptize every human then?

That's what they're trying to do. In Mormon theology everyone who dies without a chance to be baptized must be given a proxy baptism by someone living, so they have a chance to accept the gospel in the afterlife. The goal is that this will eventually happen for everyone who ever lived. (Source: former Mormon.)

I’m a Jewish atheist and the first time a couple Mormons knocked on my door and explained proxy baptism to me my first reaction was to be taken aback. But hey, may as well cover all my bases right?

Re: Breach exposed more than one million DNA profiles on a major genealogy database

#166

Post by novok »

This 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 to find.

Re: Breach exposed more than one million DNA profiles on a major genealogy database

#167

Post by getmoheb »

Godel_unicode wrote: post #144
holografix wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Probably a practical and financial reason such as the Catholic Church not allowing priests to marry and have children as a form of preventing priests passing on accumulated wealth or power to their offspring.

That's a pretty strange claim, do you have any evidence for it? Priests are not exactly wealthy, in general.

they're not now. but christianity is an old religion.

after it became the official religion of Rome their aristocracy increasingly took up bishoprics, wich were much more powerful then, and acted as great lords do. paul johnson's a history of christianity is a good read if you want to know (lots and lots) more

Re: Breach exposed more than one million DNA profiles on a major genealogy database

#168

Post by Trasmatta »

js2 wrote: post #165
Trasmatta wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's what they're trying to do. In Mormon theology everyone who dies without a chance to be baptized must be given a proxy baptism by someone living, so they have a chance to accept the gospel in the afterlife. The goal is that this will eventually happen for everyone who ever lived. (Source: former Mormon.)

I’m a Jewish atheist and the first time a couple Mormons knocked on my door and explained proxy baptism to me my first reaction was to be taken aback. But hey, may as well cover all my bases right?

It sort of addresses a fundamental issue with a lot of Christian religions that teach that people who never had a chance to hear about Jesus and be baptized automatically go to hell. There's a lot I dislike about the Mormon church and its doctrine, but the Mormon conception of the afterlife is quite a bit more fair than a lot of other religions.

Note: in Mormon theology, those that die and receive their baptism by proxy still get to choose to accept or reject that baptism in the afterlife.

Re: Breach exposed more than one million DNA profiles on a major genealogy database

#169

Post by kazagistar »

all_blue_chucks wrote: post #104
daveevad wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

let's start with your bank account and routing numbers.

I share that information when it benefits me. That's the basis of ACH. Next?

Specific pornographic preferences and fetishes? Nothing illegal there, no reason to hide.

Re: Breach exposed more than one million DNA profiles on a major genealogy database

#170

Post by risyachka »

thephyber wrote: post #163
kilo_bravo_3 wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. The DNA records aren't the type that can be used to clone you, or frame you with some kind of non-existent DNA copying machine. They are autosomal records. (or similar genealogical, or non-medical, types) The people spinning fantastic fairytales about how the jackbooted thug of big brother is going to crush your throat probably don't even know what autosomal means and no amount of eductio…

> there is no risk to you. There is always risk. You probably don't see it yet just like only privacy-forward folks thought Facebook's encouragement to "share everything" publicly (circa 2007) foresaw the problems that would commit 10+ years later. The small benefit of closure to a stranger who has already dealt with the grief of loss is not worth it for me. It depends on your personal value system. > It has been ill…

Exactly because there is always risk, when it is small - people say there is no risk.

Lots of things can happen and could have happened but never did.

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