- Military personnel leak data on Strava
- Public activities have been found all around British bases
- Keeping Strava running private is a simple solution
If you need another reminder, make sure you’re careful about the Strava data you post publicly and share with the world at large: just days after a French naval officer gave away the location of his warship with a Strava run, sensitive data from more than 500 soldiers in the UK has also been exposed.
An investigation by The i Paper showed Strava routes and profile information posted by British military personnel at several locations across the UK – including bases in Northwood, Faslane and North Yorkshire.
One of the runs made public is labeled ‘Security Breach’, suggesting the soldiers involved are aware their activities can be seen – and are not too concerned about who might be watching where they are training.
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As pointed out in the report, the locations of these bases are not secret. However, Strava runs can provide information about which personnel are stationed where and how members of the military are moved around.
‘Honestly ridiculous’
The i Paper was able to identify submariners and their families via Strava activity logs posted around HMNN Clyde in Faslane, home of the UK’s Trident nuclear submarines. Images of warships entering the harbor have also been posted through the app.
“The fact that individuals are using personal accounts in a limited area allows foreign states to piece together little pieces of information that you can potentially build up about a person’s life,” security expert Dan Lomas told The i Paper.
A British military intelligence official, approached for comment, said it was “frankly ridiculous” that this amount of information was made public – and by military servicemen at all levels, it seems.
Whether your job is related to national security or not, you should be careful about the data you send to Strava. You can manage this through Privacy control section of Settings – to find it, press the gear icon in the upper right corner of You tab in the Strava app on your phone.
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