French accidentally disclose classified data on submarines via jogging app
French submariners accidentally disclosed information about nuclear ballistic missile submarine patrols via the Strava running tracking app.
Here's What We Know
Thanks to the data that the sailors openly published in the app, users were able to learn about the operation of the base on the Ile Longue island in western France and the schedule of the boats' duty. The fact is that the crews of French nuclear submarines publicly shared their sporting activities through the Strava app, inadvertently disclosing confidential information about the SSBN patrol schedule.
Thus, information from one of the French Navy's most secretive bases on the island of Ile Longue, located in the harbour of Brest (Finistère), was publicly available.
Le Triomphant nuclear-powered submarine. Illustration: Seaforces
This base, located in Brest harbour, is home to four SSBNs, each equipped with sixteen nuclear missiles, which are a thousand times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
Since 1972, these boats have been on constant patrol to be ready to launch a nuclear strike if ordered by the French president. The base's security is ensured by numerous patrols, unmanned aerial vehicles and modern control systems, including scanners and face recognition. Mobile phones are prohibited on the territory, but even these measures have not prevented the leakage of confidential information.
The jogging routes published by the submariners made it possible to determine the location of the boats and their schedule for duty. It should be noted here that the same situation has happened before with the Americans. Strava was once used to help identify US bases in Syria. After that, the US banned the military from using the geolocation function in operational areas.
Source: Le Monde
