Now, her family has come full circle in the 23andMe experience: some members were initially reluctant to go along, and now, Brockhaus says, everyone has deleted their accounts.
A unique company collapse, but everyday cyber risks
But Brockhaus continues to view 23andMe within a larger consumer health market where the risks are not new, and health information is being shared in all sorts of environments where security issues could arise. "Anyone sending ColoGuard or receiving medical results through the mail is taking a risk of exposure," Brockhaus said. "Our very identities can be stolen with a few keystrokes. Of course, this does not mean that we should throw up our hands and agree to be victims, but unless we want to dig holes out back and live in them we have to be vigilant, proactive, but not panicked," she added.