Civil Liberties

DNA Records Vulnerable to Hacking

Scientists demonstrate

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They volunteered to provide ­genetic samples for research and to be listed in a publicly accessible data­base, based on assurances that their names would not be linked to the samples.

But nearly 50 people who had anonymously participated in studies were identified by a team of Cambridge scientists using Internet searches and genealogy websites to discern their names, demonstrating that like credit card and bank account numbers, genetic information is vulnerable to hacking.