An investigation by French news outlet Le Monde has revealed President Emmanuel Macron’s safety could be at risk.
The daily newspaper reported his bodyguards have shared confidential information on the internet about his whereabouts via geolocation features of the US fitness tracking app Strava.
Strava is used by many running fans and, using geolocation technology, it records a runner’s route, calculates the distance covered and speed and then shares the itinerary publicly, just like a social network.
The French media group reported on October 27 that agents of the Security Group for the Presidency of the Republic (GSPR) have been using the app during Macron’s travels in France and abroad, which it was feared could compromise his security.
GSPR is the protective security unit in charge of the safety of the president of France and was established in 1983.
Thanks to the information available on Strava, Le Monde journalists traced Macron’s global movements, covering both official and personal trips and events.
The first part of a three-part investigation by the newspaper highlighted the potential security risks for Macron, saying that adversaries could exploit the information to pose a threat to the President.
Through the investigation, it identified the hotel he was at 10 times – simply by looking at 12 relevant Strava profiles of GSPR.
Reporters also gained access to confidential details about the private lives of these agents – who worked closely with Macron – including home addresses, photos, family identities and holiday locations.
According to one of the journalists involved in the probe, the information found by the newspaper was transmitted to the President but the information was downplayed.
“We transmitted this information to the Elysée more than 15 days ago so that they could secure it. At the time of publishing this survey, nine out of 12 profiles were still public,” Asia Balluffier, the journalist in charge of the video investigation unit for Le Monde, said on social media.
This is not the first security issue related to the fitness-tracking app. In 2018, Strava’s “heatmap” feature exposed the locations of US military bases, patrol routes and intelligence outposts in countries including Afghanistan and Syria.
Similarly, research from North Carolina State University in Raleigh revealed the heatmap feature posed privacy risks that could expose users’ home addresses.
Le Monde stated: “Three of the world’s most important leaders have been put in danger due to their security guards’ use of a sports social media app, Strava,” with Macron being the subject of the first part of its investigation.
