Hackers have apparently compiled a large list of people with Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry after taking their information from South San Francisco-based genetic testing service 23andMe. They are sharing that information online.
The implications are very serious especially with the rise of far-right extremism.
The company says it is investigating how this happened. But it believes hackers only needed a few user passwords because of the site’s ability to link users with even distant genetic matches.
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The database of nearly 1 million people with Ashkenazi heritage is showing up on dark web forums. The information includes first and last name, sex, and an evaluation of where the person’s ancestors came from.