A major data breach has exposed sensitive medical information from the UK Biobank, affecting around 500,000 volunteers whose health records were reportedly listed for sale online. Officials confirmed that hackers accessed research data and attempted to sell it through listings on an e-commerce platform linked to Alibaba Group.
The breach was disclosed in the United Kingdom parliament by technology minister Ian Murray, who informed lawmakers that the government was alerted after suspicious listings appeared earlier in the week. He said investigators identified multiple offers advertising datasets linked to the UK Biobank system.
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According to officials, at least three separate listings were discovered, and one of them appeared to include data from the entire group of 500,000 participants. However, authorities clarified that while the breach involved large-scale research data, it did not include names, addresses, phone numbers, or direct contact details of individuals.
The UK Biobank was originally established in 2006 to support global medical research by providing scientists access to genetic and health-related information. Over time, it has become one of the world’s largest health databases used to study diseases and long-term health patterns.
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Furthermore, the dataset mainly covers individuals aged between 40 and 69, helping researchers track conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and dementia. Experts use this information to understand disease risks and improve prevention strategies, making the database a valuable tool for global health studies.
Authorities are now investigating how the breach occurred and whether the data was misused or distributed further. Meanwhile, officials have reassured participants that sensitive personal identifiers were not exposed, although concerns remain over the security of large-scale health research databases.