Security personnel for various presidents, including France, the United States and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, use the fitness app Strava, according to the report.
Strava is a popular app among runners and cyclists. In 2018, activity maps that show aggregated user routes worked, with thicker, brighter lines showing routes traveled by more users.
Le Monde reports that security authorities do not restrict activity on the app, and as a result, Strava can reveal the existence and location of military bases around the world and the travel routes of military personnel. It is said that he was able to access sensitive data.
The app also allows you to identify intelligence and military personnel by name, without accessing anonymous maps, just by looking at their actions posted on Strava.
Journalists were able to identify six employees of the Russian Federal Protection Service, who are responsible for President Putin’s security and have public accounts on Strava. The movements of these employees can potentially be tracked online, including during business trips.
French President Emmanuel Macron’s security services identified 12 individuals using Strava, and the US Secret Intelligence Service identified 26 users.
RBC Ukraine previously reported that Russian dictator President Vladimir Putin had his mansion in Sochi demolished, likely due to concerns about frequent drone attacks.
