French Navy officer leaks warship location on Strava

A French Navy officer accidentally leaked the location of the Charles de Gaulle, a French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, by logging a run on the fitness tracking app Strava. The incident occurred as the warship was heading to the Middle East. The officer went for a run on the deck of the aircraft carrier and uploaded the workout to the social fitness platform. Because the app’s default settings publish workout routes publicly, the upload inadvertently broadcasted the exact coordinates of the vessel as it traveled through the Mediterranean.

The leak, which was first reported by the French newspaper Le Monde, is not an isolated incident for the consumer application. Strava data has previously been used to locate military bases around the world, exposing sensitive security perimeters when personnel log runs. In 2024, Le Monde also uncovered French President Emmanuel Macron’s whereabouts by searching for the public Strava accounts of his bodyguards. The bodyguards had uploaded public workout data while traveling with the president, allowing reporters to track his movements.

The French military is put at serious risk when an officer telegraphs its precise location. Commenting on the security lapse, a representative for the French Armed Forces told Le Monde that the officer’s behavior “does not comply with current guidelines.” The representative added that these are guidelines “sailors are regularly made aware of” to prevent operational security failures. For everyday users of fitness tracking apps, the incident serves as a reminder that even if you are not in the military, it is probably worth setting your Strava account to private to protect your personal location data.

Why it matters

The incident highlights ongoing privacy risks associated with fitness tracking apps like Strava, which have previously been used to inadvertently expose the locations of military personnel and high-profile figures.