23.62°C Vancouver

Jun 17, 2025 3:54 PM - The Canadian Press

Lack of appropriate safeguards led to 23andMe data breach, joint investigation finds

Share On
lack-of-appropriate-safeguards-led-to-23andme-data-breach-joint-investigation-finds
He says strong protection must be a priority for organizations, especially those holding sensitive personal information.(Photo: The Canadian Press)

Canada's privacy watchdog says inadequate security measures opened the door to a data breach discovered two years ago at genetic testing company 23andMe.

Privacy commissioner Philippe Dufresne and U.K. information commissioner John Edwards released the findings from their joint investigation of the breach, which affected almost seven million people, including nearly 320,000 in Canada.

Dufresne told a news conference today the breach serves as a cautionary tale for all organizations about the importance of data protection in an era of growing cyberthreats.

He says strong protection must be a priority for organizations, especially those holding sensitive personal information.

23andMe, which filed for bankruptcy in March, sells testing kits that use a customer's saliva sample to uncover genetic information through DNA analysis, including details about health, ancestry and biological relationships.

Dufresne and Edwards announced last May they would look into the data breach's scope, the company's data handling safeguards and whether it adequately notified regulators and affected individuals about the lapse.

Latest news

russian-president-to-visit-india-modi-putin-meeting-may-happen-by-year-end
WorldAug 07, 2025

Russian President to visit India, Modi-Putin meeting may happen by year-end

Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit India in the last week of this year. This information was given by India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, who was in Moscow. Doval said that we have a special and old relationship with Russia, he described the relations between Russia and India as high-level and said that we are very excited about President Putin's visit to India. The announcement of this visit has come amid increasing tensions between New Delhi and Washington over India's trade relations with Russia. At the same time, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an address, al
CanadaAug 07, 2025

Canada Border Services Agency arrests Punjabi truck driver with large cocaine haul

The Canada Border Services Agency has reported the arrest of a Punjabi truck driver with a large cocaine haul at Blue Water Bridge, Ontario. The agency said that on July 23, a commercial truck entering from the United States was stopped for inspection at the Blue Water Bridge Port of Entry, during which officers searched the trailer and seized 197 kilograms of suspected cocaine, concealed in seven bags in the form of bricks. According to the Border Services Agency, this had an estimated street value of $24.6 million. The CBSA arrested 29-year-old truck driver Onkar Kalsi of Caledon, Ontario
b-c-s-2024-deficit-comes-in-under-forecast-at-7-3b
BCAug 07, 2025

B.C.'s 2024 deficit comes in under forecast at $7.3B

British Columbia's final deficit for the fiscal year has come in at $7.3 billion, $564 million lower than the original projected number in Budget 2024. The final deficit is also about $1.8 billion lower than the most recent third-quarter forecast. Finance Minister Brenda Bailey says B.C. was able to report a lower-than-projected deficit largely due to revenue from the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia. Total revenue was about $2.5 billion higher than expected in the budget. B.C.'s GDP grew by 1.2 per cent, lower than the Canadian average of 1.6 per cent. The taxpayer-supported debt-to-
poilievre-says-of-b-c-premier-eby-that-one-man-cant-block-pipeline-proposal
AlbertaAug 07, 2025

Poilievre says of B.C. Premier Eby that 'one man can't block' pipeline proposal

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says Canadians, including British Columbians, want a new oil pipeline and Premier David Eby can't be allowed as one man to block the project. Poilievre says the country can't wait for complete agreement on the idea, calling it a "basic fact" that a new pipeline is needed. Eby has repeatedly said there's no point discussing or supporting a pipeline that is being pushed by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and others, until there is a proponent for such a project. Poilievre, speaking in Calgary, says that's a "chicken and egg problem," because the reason there's
remains-identified-as-missing-calgary-man-police-investigating-death-as-homicide
AlbertaAug 07, 2025

Remains identified as missing Calgary man, police investigating death as homicide

Police have identified the remains of a Calgary man who disappeared 2 1/2 years ago and are investigating his death as a homicide. The remains were discovered in May 2024 at an undisclosed location outside Calgary. Robert Stanley Mainland was last seen in January 2023 at a 7-Eleven convenience store. He was 65 at the time of his disappearance and had lived in the same northeast Calgary neighbourhood for over 40 years. Police say they believe Mainland was the victim of foul play. They're asking members of the public to come forward with information to help with the investigation.

Related News