UK Biobank back online soon, months after someone tried to sell 500k people’s data on Alibaba
UK Biobank says its research platform is secure after completing security improvements following an April data breach. Researchers will regain access in phases once health data controllers and the UK government approve its return, restoring a major resource for studies of health and disease.
The breach led to data from all 500,000 volunteers being listed for sale on Alibaba, and the platform has been unavailable to more than 20,000 researchers since April. At first, researchers will not be able to download results: a manual review system will check requested files, with automated checks expected next year. Access will also require two-factor authentication, and researchers with de-identified participant data in their code repositories must remove it before being readmitted.
In short
- UK Biobank says its research platform is now secure.
- Access will resume in stages after official approval.
- Manual checks will initially restrict researchers’ downloads.
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The case for
Restoring access in phases would allow valuable health research to resume while retaining safeguards such as two-factor authentication and manual review of downloads. UK Biobank’s large volunteer cohort supports studies of disease and public health, and prolonged closure also delays work by more than 20,000 researchers.
The case against
Reopening before confidence in the security measures is well established could expose participants to further misuse of highly sensitive health information and damage trust in research. A cautious approach could therefore prioritise independent assurance and robust controls, even if that means researchers wait longer for access.
Explained simply
UK Biobank is a large research resource built from health information and biological samples donated by 500,000 volunteers. Researchers use it to study how health and disease develop, and the data is stripped of identifying details before use.
The resource is run by UK Biobank, while health data controllers and the UK government have a role in approving access. Its closure since April has prevented more than 20,000 researchers from using it, disrupting studies across many areas of health research.
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Originally published by The Register as “UK Biobank back online soon, months after someone tried to sell 500k people’s data on Alibaba”.