Data from the fitness tracking app Strava has inadvertently revealed the locations and layouts of secret military bases, including UK facilities, according to analysts. The company's global heatmap, released in November 2017, aggregates over 3 trillion GPS data points from user activities, but it also highlights exercise routes of military personnel in sensitive areas.
Analyst Nathan Ruser from the Institute for United Conflict Analysts first flagged the issue, noting that US bases are clearly identifiable. The heatmap shows jogging routes that map out base perimeters and internal layouts, even in locations not visible on commercial satellite imagery. In Syria, known coalition bases appear brightly, while Russian positions show some markers and Iranian bases are absent.
In the Falkland Islands, RAF Mount Pleasant is prominently lit up, reflecting the exercise routines of around 1,000 British personnel. Nearby Lake Macphee and Gull Island Pond, popular swimming spots, are also visible. The heatmap also reveals a lone cyclist at Area 51 in Nevada, tracing a route along the west edge of Groom Lake.
Strava released the updated heatmap with six times more data than its 2015 version, describing it as the largest and most beautiful dataset of its kind. The company highlighted its ability to track events like kiteboarding in Mexico and the Ironman triathlon in Hawaii, but did not anticipate the security implications. Analysts warn that such data could be exploited by adversaries to identify base locations and staffing patterns.
