An investigation by French newspaper Le Monde has revealed that the confidential movements of former President Donald Trump, a target of multiple assassination attempts, as well as other world leaders can be easily tracked online through the fitness app Strava, which is used by multiple Secret Service members along with other protective details worldwide.
AP News reports that the French newspaper Le Monde has uncovered a significant security vulnerability that allows the confidential movements of world leaders, including former President Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, and other prominent figures like French President Emmanuel Macron, to be easily tracked online. The investigation found that some of the security personnel tasked with protecting these high-profile individuals use the popular fitness app Strava, which records and shares their workouts with a global community.
Le Monde‘s journalists identified 26 U.S. Secret Service agents, 12 members of the French Security Group of the Presidency of the Republic (GSPR), and six members of the Russian Federal Protection Service (FSO), all responsible for presidential security, who had public accounts on Strava. By tracking the movements of these bodyguards, the newspaper was able to pinpoint the locations of the leaders they protect, even when the trips were meant to be private and not listed on official agendas.
In one example, Le Monde traced the Strava activity of French President Emmanuel Macron’s bodyguards to determine that he had spent a weekend in the Normandy seaside resort of Honfleur in 2021, despite the trip not being on his official schedule. Similarly, the whereabouts of First Ladies Melania Trump and Jill Biden could also be determined by tracking their bodyguards’ Strava profiles.
The U.S. Secret Service, in a statement to Le Monde, said that while its staff are not allowed to use personal electronic devices while on duty during protective assignments, they do not prohibit employees from using social media in their personal time. The Secret Service stated that they do not believe the protection provided was compromised and that they will review the information to determine if additional training or guidance is necessary.
However, the potential security risks associated with fitness apps like Strava raise concerns about the need for better regulations on how tech companies can use consumer data. Ibrahim Baggili, a computer scientist and professor of cybersecurity at Louisiana State University, has conducted research exposing how bad actors could exploit fitness app data to track potential victims, creating risks for stalking, robbery, and other crimes.
Identifying the presidential bodyguards by name on Strava could also lead to the discovery of other personal information, such as their home addresses, family members, and social media posts, which could be used for malicious purposes. This highlights the importance of data privacy and the need for individuals, especially those in sensitive positions, to be cautious about the information they share online.
The AP contributed to this report.
Read more at AP News here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
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