- Military personnel are leaking data on Strava
- Public activities have been found around UK bases.
- Keeping Strava runs private is a simple solution
If you need another reminder, be sure to be careful about the Strava data you post and share with the wider world: just days after a French naval officer revealed the location of his warship with a Strava test, sensitive data of more than 500 soldiers in the UK has also been exposed.
An investigation by The i Paper uncovered Strava routes and profile information posted by British military personnel at various sites across the UK, including bases in Northwood, Faslane and North Yorkshire.
One of the publicly posted runs is labeled “Security Breach,” suggesting that the soldiers involved are aware that their activities may be viewed and are not overly concerned about who might be watching where they are exercising.
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As noted in the report, the location of these bases is not secret. However, Strava runs can reveal details about which personnel are stationed, where, and how military members move.
“Frankly ridiculous”
The i Paper was able to identify the submariners and their families through Strava activity logs posted around HMNN Clyde in Faslane, the home of the UK’s Trident nuclear submarines. Photos of warships entering the port have also been published through the application.
“The fact that individuals are using personal accounts in a restricted area allows foreign states to gather small pieces of information that can potentially be accumulated about an individual’s life,” security expert Dan Lomas told The i Paper.
A UK military intelligence official approached for comment said it was “frankly ridiculous” that this amount of information was being released publicly, and apparently by military service personnel at all levels.
Regardless of whether your work is related to national security or not, you should be careful with the data you post on Strava. You can manage this through Privacy controls section of Settings — to find it, tap the gear icon in the top right corner of the You tab in the Strava app on your phone.
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