October 28th 2024.
A recent investigation by French newspaper Le Monde has revealed that the highly confidential movements of US President Joe Biden, as well as his presidential rivals Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, and other world leaders, can easily be tracked online through a popular fitness app used by their bodyguards. However, the US Secret Service has assured the newspaper that their protection methods have not been compromised in any way.
According to Le Monde's findings, some US Secret Service agents have been using the fitness app Strava, even in the wake of two recent assassination attempts on Trump. The newspaper has released a video investigation in both French and English, showcasing this alarming discovery. Strava is primarily used by runners and cyclists to track their fitness activities and share them with a community.
Le Monde also discovered that the security staff for French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin were also using Strava. In one instance, they were able to trace the movements of Macron's bodyguards through the app, determining that the French leader had spent a weekend in a private location that was not listed on his official agenda.
The newspaper also found that the whereabouts of Melania Trump and Jill Biden could be easily pinpointed by tracking their bodyguards' Strava profiles. However, the US Secret Service has stated that their employees are not allowed to use personal electronic devices while on duty, although they do not prohibit their use of social media during off-duty hours.
In response to Le Monde's findings, the US Secret Service has stated that they will review the information and provide additional training or guidance if necessary. However, they do not believe that their protective operations were impacted or that any threats were made to any of the protectees. They also noted that locations of world leaders are regularly disclosed as part of public schedule releases.
Le Monde also reported another concerning example, where a US Secret Service agent's Strava profile revealed the location of a hotel where President Biden stayed during high-stakes talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The agent had gone for a jog from the hotel a few hours before Biden's arrival, which was easily tracked through the app.
The newspaper's journalists have identified 26 US agents, 12 members of the French GSPR, and six members of the Russian FSO, all responsible for presidential security, who have public Strava accounts and are therefore revealing their movements online, even during official trips. For security reasons, Le Monde did not disclose the names of these bodyguards.
This revelation raises concerns about potential security breaches, especially when security agents are sent ahead of time to locations where world leaders will later stay and hold meetings. In response, Macron's office has stated that the consequences of these issues are minimal and do not affect the security of the French President. They assured that local authorities are aware of Macron's movements in advance and that the places he stays are always fully secure.
In light of these findings, Macron's office has issued a reminder to agents to not use the Strava app. However, messages left with the Trump and Harris campaigns, as well as the White House, have not yet been returned.
This incident highlights the need for stricter regulations on how tech companies can use consumer data, according to computer scientist and cybersecurity professor Ibrahim Biggili. His research has shown how malicious individuals can use fitness app data to track and potentially harm their victims. He also noted that consumers often unknowingly give app developers the right to use or sell their data when they agree to the terms of service.
Biggili believes that the government needs to take action and regulate how data can be used and retained. Additionally, the identification of presidential bodyguards on Strava, some even using their full names, could expose personal information such as their addresses, families, and movements, which could be used for malicious purposes.
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