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Fitness App Shows Location Of Remote US Military Bases

The Strava app lets users share exercise routes. The problem is some U.S. military personnel in remote locations are using it.
Posted at 9:49 AM, Jan 29, 2018
and last updated 2018-01-29 09:49:44-05

A fitness app lets you publicly share your exercise route, and it's causing some security concerns for some remote military forces.

It's called Strava, and it lets users share their GPS tracked exercise routes to a heat map. The heat map shows where people are exercising all over the world. Privacy settings on the app let users decide if they'll share their exercise information.

The security concerns stem from use of the app on military property. Some U.S. bases light up on the map, but so do some unconfirmed locations like a CIA facility in Somalia.

A 20-year-old in Australia stumbled upon the details. He pointed it out on Twitter, saying "US Bases are clearly identifiable and mappable." He also said it isn't just a problem for the United States military, but for anyone with an established exercise path.

The Strava heat map update was released in November 2017. A Pentagon spokeswoman told CNN the department is reviewing the situation to see if any policy changes are needed.

Additional reporting from Newsy affiliate CNN.