DoD Studying Implications of Wearable Devices Giving Too Much Info
(Source: US Department of Defense; issued Jan. 29, 2018)
The concern comes from a “heat map” posted by Strava -- the makers of a fitness tracking application that shows the routes service members run or cycle in their daily exercises. These maps can show military bases and may be used to target individuals.
“We take these matters seriously, and we are reviewing the situation to determine if any additional training or guidance is required, and if any additional policy must be developed to ensure the continued safety of DoD personnel at home and abroad,” Army Col. Robert Manning III said during a morning news conference at the Pentagon.
The Strava heatmap data leak just got a whole lot worse:
- The data can be de-anonymised
— WIRED UK (@WiredUK) January 29, 2018
- Includes names and running routes of people at high-security military facilities
- A quick search shows the names of 50 US personnel at a base in Afghanistan
https://t.co/JZCi7sINf8
Wearable electronic fitness trackers upload data to Strava, which then publishes a heat map of the activity so people can download the maps to find good running or cycling routes.
Use Privacy Settings
“The rapid development of technology requires the rapid refinement of policy and procedures to enhance force protection and operational security,” Manning said. “DoD personnel are advised to place strict privacy settings on wireless technologies and applications.”
Service members are prohibited from wearing such wireless technologies in some areas and during some operations, Manning said.
Manning didn’t say what the department will do about the issue. “We have confidence in commanders to employ tactics, techniques and procedures that enhance force protection and operational security with the least impact to individuals,” the colonel said.
All DoD personnel go through annual training on information security. The training urges service members and DoD civilians to limit profiles on the internet, including personal social media accounts, Manning said.
“Furthermore, operational security requirements provide further guidance for military personnel supporting operations around the world,” he said. The heat map incident re-emphasizes the need for service members to be cautious about what data to share via wearable electronic devices, he added.
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Published Global Fitness Map Sparks Military Security Concerns
(Source: Voice of American News; issued Jan 29, 2018)
Strava published its so-called heat map of user activity in November showing the routes millions of users walked, ran and biked, with the most frequent routes showing up in brighter colors. The company says it excluded activities that users marked as private or ones that took place in areas people did not want to make public.
The activities were tracked using GPS-enabled devices from manufacturers like Fitbit, Garmin and Polar. Even with the exclusions, Strava said its map included 1 billion activities between 2015 and September 2017.
The Washington Post reported on the heat map and its implications, highlighting a Twitter post by Australian student Nathan Ruser who shared the link to the Strava site Saturday.
Strava released their global heatmap. 13 trillion GPS points from their users (turning off data sharing is an option). https://t.co/hA6jcxfBQI … It looks very pretty, but not amazing for Op-Sec. US Bases are clearly identifiable and mappable pic.twitter.com/rBgGnOzasq
— Nathan Ruser (@Nrg8000) January 27, 2018
"It looks very pretty, but not amazing for Op-Sec [operational security]. US Bases are clearly identifiable and mappable," Ruser wrote.
The map shows the most activity in places like the United States, Western Europe, Japan and Brazil. In Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, activities show up bright against otherwise dark terrain, including in multiple places where the U.S. military is known to have bases or be active.
The wearable devices that transmit the data can be used in several ways, including for example a short run or keeping track of the steps a person takes throughout the day. The result can be lines on the heat map showing loops around the perimeter of a military installation where people exercise or showing where they move from place to place throughout the facility, or elsewhere.
"DoD takes matter like these very seriously and is reviewing the situation to determine if any additional training or guidance is required, and if any additional policy must be developed to ensure the continued safety of DoD personnel at home and abroad," Department of Defense spokeswoman Maj. Audricia Harris said.
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