Strava app exposes NATO soldiers' locations in Poland

According to the portal Służby i Obywatel, soldiers at Polish bases unknowingly shared information about their travel routes. This issue arose because of the Strava app, which monitors users' distance traveled.

Sharing information on social media can be risky, especially for NATO soldiers. Strava allows users to create maps of their traveled routes and share them with others. This feature may have led to the disclosure of strategic information about the Polish base.

By sharing locations on Strava, users can create route maps and compete with each other, which is theoretically meant to be motivational. In the app, users can view lists of results for given routes with precise locations, dates, and names. It is important to note that most users log in with their real data. Consequently, people can track the routes of military personnel in their stationed locations.

Through analyzing data shared by runners, we can identify the presence of the National Guard from states like Iowa, Illinois, or Virginia, stationed in Żagań. Information regarding communication officers enables direct contact with hundreds of soldiers stationed in Poland.

The issue of data collection by the app is not limited to American soldiers. The app also confirms that Ukrainians are being trained by French military personnel in Wędrzyn. Widespread routes, such as "Tour du Lac" or "Côte le long de la route," indicate the activity of hundreds of users.

Information about the presence of foreign military forces in Poland becomes public when personnel use social apps indiscreetly. Approximately 10,000 Americans and hundreds of members from other NATO countries are stationed in Poland. It is estimated that 2% of them use the app, allowing for the identification of personnel at specific bases. Due to security concerns, it seems inevitable to introduce regulations regarding the use of such apps.