Pentagon warns military members about using consumer DNA testing kits

[Shawn Knight]

Why it matters: Companies like Ancestry and 23andMe offer DNA testing kits that allow consumers to send in saliva samples for analysis and get back a DNA profile. The results can provide users with valuable insight into ancestry, paternity and even health conditions but may come with some unforeseen privacy risks.

The Pentagon is reportedly advising members of the military against the use of consumer DNA testing kits due to security concerns.

In a memo co-signed by Defense Department officials Joseph D. Kernan and James N. Stewart, the agency said exposing sensitive genetic information to outside parties poses personal and operational risks to service members.

Such companies have come under fire in recent memory for selling DNA testing results with third parties and sharing profiles with law enforcement to help capture criminals. Such techniques were used to help identify the Golden State Killer in 2018 for crimes dating back to the mid-1970s.

“These genetic tests are largely unregulated and could expose personal and genetic information, and potentially create unintended security consequences and increased risk to the joint force and mission.”

Even if private companies have no intentions of selling or sharing profiles, there’s still a risk of the data being stolen by hackers.

Yahoo News notes that the memo appears to have been widely distributed within the Defense Department but hadn’t previously been made public.

Masthead credit: DNA fingerprint by isak55

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/83326-pentagon-warns-military-members-about-using-consumer-dna.html

 

[psycros]

Been warning my friends and family to avoid crap like Ancestry.com at all costs. My sister bought me one of those kits and its never been opened. I'm keeping it so in the future I can show it to kids and say, "Yeah, people were really this dumb back then."

 

[Uncle Al]

I too have told many friends of this and even developed a form to be signed and dated by the administrator "guaranteeing that no data will be shared without the specific written & witnessed consent of the subject". So far NONE of the testing agencies have agreed to comply .... which speaks volume's' about these people.

 

[ZedRM]

So far NONE of the testing agencies have agreed to comply

Which why they should NEVER be trusted. If they refuse to be bound by law to complete confidence, they are not worthy of our time and money.

 

[SpatulaCity]

They should have an anonymous option. Or maybe just use a fake name and address with a throw away email address. Pay with a prepaid card.

 

[treetops]

They should have an anonymous option. Or maybe just use a fake name and address with a throw away email address. Pay with a prepaid card.

They make listing all your relatives part of the "experience". Oh it's so fun.... Now all your relatives and their descendants will be a in data base without their consent for whatever purposes they see fit until the fall of civilization.

 

[Yynxs]

The real problem is you can plot and plan get all the ducks lined up and purchase the bags and gloves and hairnets years before with cash so they're untraceable, but you lose one eyelash during the extended pogrom on the company executives, they track and find you anyway because your second cousin's illegitimate grandchild was paternity tested on Maury.

 

[treetops]

They could jump ahead of the game and submit other peoples samples to skew the third party sharing. In order to protect any spies we might have. It's probably easier to straight up change the results within the system remotely.(NSA) Feint within a feint within a feint.

 

[mbrowne5061]

They should have an anonymous option. Or maybe just use a fake name and address with a throw away email address. Pay with a prepaid card.

And then just give them your DNA sample... that can be tied to any relatives that send their in via (surprise) DNA.

 

[Yynxs]

If it was me being young again, I would start up a DNA testing lab with the standard list of available analyses on virtual systems not physically connected to the net and 'dump data' methodology for storage. Test kit in, test, print results on paper, mail back first class registered signature required, burn kit with saved video of burn, reboot all server systems at end of day and restart next day with 'new' virgin virtual system. In short, no data saved or possible to be saved or recovered. The kit number and video could be used by law enforcement to prove a test was taken, but forcing the sender to reveal the results of the test is Fifth Amendment territory and does not involve the lab except to say the test was received and run. Charge extra for the service privacy and no warranties included if they don't like the results. Buyer beware.