Strava heat map exposes secret government locations around the world
Unknowingly, workers within governments agencies around the world, have mapped out hidden base locations from around the world. How this happened is mere accident really.
Those wearing Fitbit type watches (a device used to monitor people’s heart rate and how far they have walked throughout the day) have walked around private secure facilities. The Fitbit electronic fitness type wristband, have a GPS sensor built into them. This data is then uploaded and recorded to track people’s progress, as they try to lose weight and get healthier.
With these fitness type tools, many foot miles are logged and tracked. The workers location, is then linked up to a database of sorts. A company named Strava, published a global heat map recently. Seen on this map, is where people 27 million people were tracked either from Fitbit type devices or apps that were used over the last several years. This incidentally mapped out globally…many spots that people never knew that existed before.
Security concerns, have been on the minds of those in charge of these locations. Now, people can see where these places are that were previously hidden underground.
This also raises further questions, now that we know these places actually exist. What kind of things are going on underground that the public doesn’t know about? It is disturbing to ponder really. Surely, more private technology is being secretly used, human and animal experimentation is more than likely happening as well.
Mixed feelings and reactions are happening about this. Some think it is great, that people know where these secret locations now are. Others believe, that this is terrible, as government locations have now become more vulnerable. Those using either apps or Fitbit wristband devices, are made up of different types of people – ranging in age and job ranking authority. Certain analysts have suggested this data could reveal individual Strava users by name as well.
Security will likely be beefed up after this incident, out of fear that terrorists may use this newfound knowledge for evil purposes. Perhaps one of the greatest dangers, may come in the form of terrorists…figuring out everyday patterns of life used by the people who work in these government locations.
Those particular people, could be tracked down, killed or threatened so that the terrorist could gain further access to an off the radar type facility. Leaving behind digital footprints such as these, will present new challenges for government security in the future, as they try to maintain their top secret intelligence.
Researchers and data analysts mention that cross-referencing Strava user activity with Google Maps and other tools reveals a French military base in Niger, an Italian military base in Djibouti, and even CIA “black” sites. More reveals include Western military and civilian operations in developing countries. The United States might be at even greater risk, leaving behind digital footprints pertaining to troops, intelligence personnel, diplomats, and contractors who are deployed overseas. New measures must be made, to fix this and prevent something like this from happening again.
(Source: Wired)
