Fitness app Strava exposes movements of world leaders’ security teams

So the drones know where they are

French newspaper Le Monde has uncovered a significant security flaw in the fitness app Strava, revealing that it can track the confidential movements of foreign leaders.

While politicians are unlikely to use the app, their fitter security agents will likely do so. The Independent reports that Le Monde found some U.S. Secret Service agents using the Strava app, even after two assassination attempts on Trump.

Strava, a fitness-tracking app popular among runners and cyclists, records users’ activities and shares their workouts with the community. Le Monde’s investigation revealed that security staff for French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin also use Strava. In one instance, the movements of Macron’s bodyguards were traced to determine that the French leader spent a weekend in the Normandy seaside resort of Honfleur in 2021, a trip meant to be private and not listed on the president’s official agenda.

Le Monde reported that the whereabouts of Melania Trump and Jill Biden could also be pinpointed by tracking their bodyguards’ Strava profiles.

In response, the US Secret Service stated that its staff are prohibited from using personal electronic devices while on duty during protective assignments. However, “we do not prohibit an employee’s personal use of social media off-duty.”

The agency added, “Affected personnel has been notified. We will review this information to determine if additional training or guidance is required. We do not assess that there were any impacts to protective operations or threats to any protectees. Locations are regularly disclosed as part of public schedule releases.”

Le Monde reported that a U.S. Secret Service agent’s Strava profile revealed the hotel’s location where Biden subsequently stayed in San Francisco for high-stakes talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2023. A few hours before Biden’s arrival, the agent jogged from the hotel using Strava, which traced his route.

Le Monde’s journalists identified 26 U.S. agents, 12 members of the French GSPR (Security Group of the Presidency of the Republic), and six members of the Russian FSO (Federal Protection Service) with public accounts on Strava, thereby communicating their movements online, including during professional trips. For security reasons, Le Monde did not identify the bodyguards by name.

This revelation raises serious concerns about security personnel’s use of fitness apps and the potential risks to the safety of world leaders. The findings underscore the need for stricter guidelines and training to prevent such security breaches in the future.