A recent investigation by French newspaper Le Monde has exposed potential security vulnerabilities for global leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, due to bodyguards’ use of the popular fitness app Strava. The app, which tracks users’ movements, has allowed unauthorized tracking of leaders’ locations through data shared online by their security personnel.
The Le Monde report found that several members of Biden’s and Trump’s security teams have Strava profiles that reveal their exercise routes and locations, potentially compromising high-profile destinations like hotels and meeting places. In one instance, a U.S. Secret Service agent’s activity on Strava pinpointed a hotel where Biden was set to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in San Francisco in 2023.
The U.S. Secret Service responded by stating that it had notified affected personnel and would review if additional training was needed. They noted that there was no impact on operations, as many locations are already publicized. Meanwhile, French and Russian security agencies also had personnel using the app, including security teams for French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
With recent changes in German, French, and U.S. cybersecurity policies, experts are calling for tighter regulations on how tech companies use and retain personal data. Ibrahim Baggili, a cybersecurity professor at Louisiana State University, warned that misuse of fitness app data could allow malicious actors to track individuals, leading to risks like stalking or targeting high-profile figures.
Macron’s office stated that local security protocols minimize any potential risks, and agents were reminded to avoid using fitness tracking apps. The Le Monde investigation has highlighted how fitness app data-sharing may unintentionally reveal critical security information, underscoring the need for stricter data usage and retention regulations to protect public figures.
