The French language newspaper Le Monde found that sailors of the Maritime Nationale (French Navy) had inadvertently revealed the classified details of the patrols of its nuclear-powered submarine fleet from their exercise routines. The source of the leak came via the popular Strava fitness app.

According to the report, the sailors utilized the app to log their runs while at the Ile Longue naval base in Brest—the home port of France's four Triomphant-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs). Each of the boats can carry up to 16 nuclear missiles while it is operated by a crew of 111, including officers and sailors.

The lead boat, Le Triomphant, was laid down at Cherbourg in 1989, launched in 1994, and entered service in 1997.

Security Breach

Although Ile Longue requires that each of more than 2,000 personnel are subjected to high-level security checks, which according to Euro News includes "going through facial scanners and handing in their phones at specific checkpoints," somewhere in the process "smartwatches were said to have been overlooked."

The exact type of watches that may have been used is clear.

However, the fitness app is compatible with smartwatches from Garmin, Apple, Samsung, and Google. Users can download the app directly to those devices, meaning it doesn't even need to be connected to a smartphone. That fact apparently was missed by senior military officials, and when the submariners departed the base, Strava continued to track their movements.

Given that Strava claims to have more than 120 million registered users globally in more than 190 countries, it isn't surprising that it had at least a few users on the crew of the nuclear-powered French subs. The app can track numerous athletic activities including running, cycling, and hiking. User data can be uploaded and shared with the global community.

Le Monde reported that many of the sailors used their real names, and even had profiles on Strava. From the data, the newspaper's investigative reporters were able to determine the nuclear submarine patrols. Gaps between workouts indicated when the submarines were likely at sea. More than 450 Strava users were suspected of using the app at the base—but that may include more than just the sailors of the Triomphant-class subs.

Strava Leaks Continue

This isn't the first time that fitness apps—including those from Strava and its rivals—have provided such details. In 2018, reports circulated on how fitness apps employed by military personnel had identified the locations of forward operating bases in Afghanistan, while the details of the U.S. Air Force base known as "Area 51" were revealed due to an airman or civilian employee using such an app while cycling.

"This is a repeat of what happened with U.S. soldiers who were in secret bases in countries the public didn't know we had soldiers running circles around their base exactly outlining the security perimeters," warned technology industry analyst Roger Entner of Recon Analytics.

The oversharing hasn't been limited to American soldiers or French sailors. Members of the Israel Defense Force (IDF) have also inadvertently revealed their movements via fitness apps.

Entner told The National Interest, "The lesson is that if you are on a secret mission your personal devices can betray you if you allow it."

The recent revelations followed a previous report from the newspaper last year that Strava also leaked the movements of bodyguards for French, American, and Russian presidents!

Gamer Leaks Also a Problem

Modern technology and greater access to communications are becoming a serious problem when it comes to securing classified information. This recent report put the spotlight on warfighters who are trying to stay in shape, but it is hardly the only modern leak of military secrets.

As previously reported, classified secrets have been leaked to popular gaming forums in recent years.

Just last month, classified information related to the Eurofighter Typhoon was shared on the forums for the popular free-to-play War Thunder simulation. As in past incidents, the leaked documents came about after multiple gamers disputed key systems and the accuracy of the digital recreation in the simulation.

In the past four years, there have been similar stories where gamers have shared details about the British Challenger 2 main battle tank (MBT) and even the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

Move Over James Bond

In the past intelligence agencies strived to track the movements of a potential adversary's warship, determine data on foreign bases, and gather any snippets of data about advanced aircraft and tanks. It required complex spy rings, lengthy efforts to recruit assets, and teams of analysts revealing massive amounts of data.

Today, that information is being shared online at an alarming rate via apps and forums.

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].

Image: Wikimedia Commons.