ST Alpha - "GPS based fitness apps inadvertently reveal worldwide locations of US soldiers;" (Reading a Post)

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GPS based fitness apps inadvertently reveal worldwide locations of US soldiers;

Posted by Loyola Aug 12 '23, 01:15

“In early 2018 Strava published a “global heat map” showing all the places in the world where users of smartwatches who used its GPS-based fitness app had run, walked or cycled over the previous two years.

As you would expect, the US, Europe and the world’s richer countries lit up. In stark contrast the developing world was mostly in darkness.

But sharp-eyed observers noticed a few strange oasis-like clusters of heat in the Strava deserts that extended across swathes of Africa and the Middle East. On closer inspection, they showed intense daily activity in small areas of countries wracked by war such as Afghanistan, Syria, Somalia and Sudan.

What the map appeared to be tracking – inadvertently – was the movements of soldiers at US military bases in locations that did not show up on any map. In other words, a widely available fitness tracking app had disclosed highly sensitive information that had the potential to compromise military operations.“

Responses:

It's still happening - not just to Americans -- one of the Russian big-wigs just got wartime dead because he set his runs to public and Ukrainians - Will Hunting Aug 12, 08:54 1
- Ukraine intelligence leader was following his social media, commented on his workout, but not certain they hit, or domestic love triangle -- nm - zeitgeist Aug 12, 10:48
Yep. That was 5 years ago though. -- nm - Mop🧹 Aug 12, 07:54

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GPS based fitness apps inadvertently reveal worldwide locations of US soldiers;

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