23andme

[TonyV]

Hi all. A question and a warning about 23andme.

I posted a DNA test to 23andme on 12 September but when I look at their site it tells me that it started on its way to them on 25 September and that it's still on the way. Above that it tells me that the whole process takes 2-4 weeks! It's already been "in the post" for over 4 weeks according to them. Has anyone got any current real world experience of timescales for their testing process? I live in England and I know that the lab is in the USA so am happy to allow for a little travel time, but over 4 weeks and counting seems excessive.

The warning comes from Roberta Estes blog and it suggests that 23andme has been hacked and that subscribers should change their passwords and possibly turn on two-factor authentication. The blog can be found here https://dna-explained.com/2023/10/07/23andme-user-accounts-exposed-change-your-password-now/?fbclid=IwAR1DvWIyU3iVHyD7lCgVxaWghHvEnMFlgYC2m7t48ht_OHmSN4IVLrkv4ag 

[Gadget]

Thanks for highlighting this, Tony.

[Biggles50]

I have no experience of 23&me so thanks for the post.

It is quite a while sine we took our Ancestry DNA tests hence cannot comment on their times ales.

A My Heritage DNA test took about eight weeks to get there and to be processed, I kept checking and it was over five weeks before their site registered receipt.

A recent myFTDNA yDNA test took three weeks to get there and another three weeks to process.

[antiquesam]

It's a few years since I took the Ancestry test but I think it took 8 to10 weeks from posting to getting the results.

[Gadget]

I think those of us who have taken a 23&me test have now had e-mails asking us to change passwords and add two-factor authentication.

They have said that they are doing a thorough investigation and they will get in touch with those who they find to have had their security breached with further info.

[TonyV]

Thanks for all your replies. To be fair to them I misread their note that said it will take 2 to 4 weeks etc. to mean completion of the entire process, not thinking that it might take 4 weeks or more for the package to cross the Atlantic Ocean and then the USA. But on re-reading I can see that they were referring to exactly that part of the journey.

It has now been slightly over 4 weeks and it still hasn't arrived today. When I contacted them they replied quickly and asked whether I'd like a new kit to be sent, so I agreed. Then today they sent another email saying that my query had been referred upwards and again offering to send out a new kit, if my original one hadn't arrived within the next 7 days!  A bit of a left hand, right hand problem!

As Gadget commented, I have also received the warning email from them today about the potential security breach, but I had already changed my password and turned on 2-factor authentication.   

[ikas]

I received the standard email from 23andme a few days ago asking me to change my password and consider adding 2 step authentication after the data breach. I changed my password but adding 2 step authentication required me to download software. Really? Every other site I use that requires 2 step authentication does not require 3rd party software to be downloaded. Suggests that 23andme cannot be bothered setting up 2 step authentication within their own systems. Does not inspire confidence in me.

Incidently when I logged in today it forced me to change my password again so obviously a waste of my time responding to their email. Now enforcing a minimum 12 characters but they don't tell you that until you enter your new password.

[emeraldcity]

Unfortunately I received a follow up email from 23andme this morning saying I have been impacted by the data breach. Just the DNA Relatives side of things as far as I can tell (the information you make public there such as name, age, ancestral surnames), not my actual DNA information.

Some of you may find yourself affected by this because the latest breach was specifically users with British ancestry.

[weste]

I also have received this follow up letter as also a friend. I have also read an article by Roberta Estes about the breach. Its on facebook in the genetic tips and tecniques group.