Ancestry
ancestry.com
About This Breach
Ancestry, the largest for-profit genealogy company, experienced a data breach in 2015. In this incident, data including usernames, email addresses, and passwords were compromised. The exact number of affected users is not clear. It's noteworthy that user data was reportedly stored as bcrypt hashes, a secure encryption method that makes it challenging for attackers to extract usable information.
Data Exposed
Breach Details
| Breach Type | Data Breach |
| Searchable | Yes |
| Verified | Yes |
| Sensitive Data | No |
| Reference | https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/01/technology/gedmatch-breach-privacy.html (opens in new tab) |
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Ancestry data breach happen?
Ancestry was breached in Nov 2015. The breach was added to the XposedOrNot index on November 8, 2023.
How many records were exposed in the Ancestry breach?
297,916 records were exposed, making it the #568 largest of the 763 breaches in our index.
What data was exposed in the Ancestry breach?
The exposed data includes: Email addresses, Names, Passwords.
What should I do if I was affected by the Ancestry breach?
Change your password on the affected service (and anywhere you reused it), turn on two-factor authentication, and set up free breach alerts on XposedOrNot so you know the moment your email appears in a new breach.
More Miscellaneous Breaches
What Should You Do?
Change Your Passwords
Update your password immediately, using 12+ characters with numbers and symbols.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication
Add 2FA on all supported accounts using an authenticator app like Google Authenticator or Authy.
Monitor Your Accounts
Set up login alerts and review account activity regularly for suspicious access.
Use a Password Manager
Never reuse passwords: use a password manager to generate unique ones for each account.