Search This Blog

Powered by Blogger.

Blog Archive

Labels

Fitness app published exercise routes of Soldiers


A fitness tracking app has published the exercise routes of the US military personnel in bases around the world.

The fitness app, Strava was criticised by security experts for releasing a "heatmap" showing the paths of the user's log as they run or cycle.

The California-based company defended itself by calling themselves a "social network for athletes," which has its mobile apps and website to connect millions of people every day.

The app showed the heatmap of the foreign military bases in countries like Syria and Afghanistan as soldiers move around them. However, the US military was investigating the heatmap.

"Recent data releases emphasize the need for situational awareness when members of the military share personal information," Pentagon spokesman Major Adrian J.T.

It has more than 27 million users around the world.

Strava's Heat Map was first noticed by Nathan Ruser, a university student who studies the Middle East and security issues in Sydney, Australia. He tweeted about Strava's global Heat Map, "It looks very pretty, but not amazing for Op-Sec. U.S. bases are clearly identifiable and mappable."

"I thought the best way to deal with it is to make the vulnerabilities known so they can be fixed. Someone would have noticed it at some point. I just happened to be the person who made the connection."

Rankine-Galloway of the Pentagon said, "We take matters like these very seriously and are reviewing the situation to determine if any additional training or guidance is required and if any additional policy must be developed to ensure the continued safety of DoD personnel at home and abroad.‎"

Share it: