Fitness app Strava unwittingly becomes an “assassination tool,” exposing the locations of world leaders including Donald Trump.
At a Glance
- Strava fitness app reveals movements of world leaders through their bodyguards’ activities
- 26 U.S. Secret Service agents, 12 French Security Group members, and 6 Russian Federal Protection Service members identified with public Strava accounts
- Locations of leaders like Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron potentially exposed
- U.S. Secret Service to review the situation, stating personal devices are not allowed on duty
- Incident raises concerns about tech companies’ use of consumer data and need for stricter regulations
Strava: From Fitness Tracker to Security Nightmare
French newspaper Le Monde has uncovered a major security flaw that’s got everyone from fitness enthusiasts to world leaders breaking a sweat. The culprit? Strava, a popular fitness tracking app that’s inadvertently become a high-tech tattletale, spilling the beans on the whereabouts of some of the world’s most protected individuals, including former President Donald Trump.
Yes, a fitness app could have handed over the location of our president to potential assassins.
This isn’t just about burning calories anymore, folks. We’re talking about burning through layers of security that are supposed to keep our leaders safe. The app, beloved by fitness buffs and apparently by Secret Service agents too, has been caught red-handed, mapping out the jogging routes and workout spots of those tasked with protecting the upper echelons of global leadership.
Fitness App Strava Gives Away Location of Foreign Leaders, Report Finds https://t.co/NWR1tDqQKc
— Slashdot (@slashdot) October 29, 2024
The Digital Breadcrumb Trail
Le Monde’s investigation reads like a spy thriller, except it’s all too real. They managed to identify 26 U.S. Secret Service agents, 12 members of the French Security Group, and even 6 members of the Russian Federal Protection Service, all with public Strava accounts. It’s like they’re handing out VIP passes to their boss’s location, and all you need is a smartphone and this fitness app.
“An investigation by French newspaper Le Monde has revealed that the confidential movements of former President Donald Trump, a target of multiple assassination attempts, as well as other world leaders can be easily tracked online through the fitness app Strava, which is used by multiple Secret Service members along with other protective details worldwide,” Le Monde reported.
But wait, it gets better. Or worse, depending on your perspective. By tracking the Strava activity of bodyguards, the sleuths at Le Monde could pinpoint the locations of leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron, even during his supposedly hush-hush private trips. So much for sneaking away for a quiet weekend, Mr. President!
Now, you’d think the U.S. Secret Service would have this locked down tighter than Fort Knox. But apparently, they’re stuck between a rock and a hard place. They’ve come out saying that while personal devices are a no-go during protective assignments, they can’t exactly tell their agents to go off the grid during their personal time.
Breitbart reported that the U.S. Secret Service, in a statement issued to Le Monde, “said that while its staff are not allowed to use personal electronic devices while on duty during protective assignments, they do not prohibit employees from using social media in their personal time.”
It’s a classic case of technology outpacing policy. The Secret Service is promising to “review” the situation, but let’s be real – by the time they figure out how to update their Facebook status, we’ll probably have fitness apps that can teleport you to your workout.
They can review all they like but by the time they’re done it could be too late…
What other information are the apps on our phones revealing about us?