Data from the fitness tracking app Strava has exposed the locations and layouts of British military bases, including RAF Mount Pleasant in the Falkland Islands, according to analysts. The heatmap, released in November 2017, aggregates over 3 trillion GPS data points from user activities, inadvertently revealing sensitive information about active service personnel.
Nathan Ruser, an analyst with the Institute for United Conflict Analysts, first highlighted the security lapse. He noted that US bases are clearly identifiable, and the same applies to UK facilities. The heatmap shows bright patterns at RAF Mount Pleasant, reflecting exercise routines of the thousand British personnel stationed there, as well as nearby swimming spots like Lake Macphee and Gull Island Pond.
In conflict zones such as Afghanistan, Djibouti, and Syria, Strava users are predominantly foreign military personnel, making bases stand out prominently. For example, forward operating bases in Helmand province, Afghanistan, are visible as glowing white areas on the black map. Zooming in reveals internal layouts based on tracked jogging routes, even when bases are not visible on commercial satellite imagery.
Analyst Tobias Schneider commented on the situation in Syria, noting that known coalition bases light up the night, while Russian positions show some markers and Iranian bases have no notable colouring. The data also captures a lone cyclist at Area 51 in Nevada, highlighting the breadth of exposed information.
Strava released the updated heatmap, claiming it is the largest and most beautiful dataset of its kind. However, the company did not address the operational security risks, which have prompted concerns that military personnel may face lectures on proper app usage.
