The tracking system that is part of the Fitbit gear has a massive security problem. Strava, the company that records the data from Fitbit released a global heat map that records all activity by their users. The data is not live but it does reveal patterns, locations, and routines. Some even believe that it is revealing military secrets.
Security threat?
The military believes this software could be a major potential security threat. Strava has recorded one billion activities on the map, creating a lot of useful information all over the world. Strava uses satellite information to map out the locations and movements of its users to the fitness service over two years.
Well populated areas show up as bright spots of light, because of all the activity.
However, the heat map becomes dark in places like the Middle East, except for pockets of activity, where you can see outlines of known military bases. Strava even managed to outline Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan.U.S. Central Command has said they are looking into the matter. FitBit does not identify each spot, so the map could also be showing U.N. facilities and other foreign military bases or any other organization that uses FitBit trackers.
There's not enough details to pinpoint troop movement in areas like the Middle East but they have been encouraged to use FitBit. The Pentagon handed out more than 2,000 FitBit to its personnel with the goal of fighting obesity.
Most of the bases that can be seen are already publicly known. However, the map is a treasure chest for anyone looking to gain intelligence.
By far the strangest thing I've seen in the #strava heatmap in North Korea, this doesn't line up with any visible roads or paths, almost like it's underneath the ground... East of Pyongyang. pic.twitter.com/McJjFxZhvf
— Entscheidungsschlacht (@austinnelsen) January 28, 2018
The information revealed on the map was just published by a 20-year-old Australian who just happened to stumble across it.
Another man, Nathan Ruser discovered the map after reading about it on a mapping blog. The data shown appears to show troop movement in and out of bases, possibly showing patrol routes. When you zoom in on Afghanistan, you can see lines moving from base to base and large heat spots in certain areas of bases, which may indicate where troops congregate.
Privacy concerns
The only privacy options available at the moment only work when you create privacy zones. The question now is how anonymous is this information. If the information is not truly anonymous than someone could gain some tactical information and that would be a serious issue. People have taken to Twitter claiming to have found a CIA base in Somalia, Patriot missile system in Yemen and a US operations base in Sahel part of Africa.
