U.S. military personnel deployed in combat zones have been targeted through the use of commercially available geolocation data. This is stated in reports received by military officials, demonstrating how the global digital surveillance industry affects the modern battlefield. This was reported by UNN with reference to Reuters.
Details
In a letter shared with Reuters by U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that it had "received several reports of threats related to the adversary's use of commercial location data to track or target U.S. personnel in the area of operations." The letter is dated April 14, but does not provide specific details. CENTCOM's area of responsibility includes, in particular, the Persian Gulf, where U.S. forces confront Iran due to the situation around the Strait of Hormuz.
This was the first official confirmation that U.S. military personnel were tracked in an active combat zone, Wyden and a bipartisan group of lawmakers noted in a letter to the Pentagon.
Commercial geolocation data can be used to identify U.S. troop concentrations, routes, and habits, which an adversary could exploit for missile strikes, drone attacks, or roadside bombs, as well as for counterintelligence purposes,
The Pentagon did not respond to requests for comment. Lawmakers noted that their attempts to obtain more information from military officials about the reported incidents were unsuccessful.
Location data is widely used in digital advertising, which is a major source of revenue for many technology companies. Such data is typically collected from smartphones or other devices via apps or service providers, then sold to data brokers who consolidate and resell it, sometimes through complex networks of intermediaries.
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While the privacy threat from the sale of data on daily movements has long been discussed, its potential as a national security risk is also causing concern.
For example, past U.S. cases have seen commercial data used to track military movements in conflict zones and near sensitive facilities. Media investigations have also highlighted how detailed the tracking of people's movements in various countries is using data from brokers.
Two professional associations representing digital advertisers did not respond to requests for comment.
The lawmakers' letter also states that, given the scale of the location data trade, government agencies should have acted faster to protect U.S. personnel – specifically by disabling the unique advertising identifier on military-issued devices, automatically turning off location data collection on field devices, and switching from the Chrome browser to more private alternatives.
Among the signatories of the letter was U.S. Representative Pat Harrigan, who previously served in the U.S. Army Special Forces. He emphasized that browsers collect and share user data by default, and every day spent on government-issued devices poses another security risk to the military.
For its part, Alphabet's Google stated that Chrome has "industry-leading security." The company also emphasized that it advocates for stronger rules and safeguards against data brokers.
Experts emphasize that protecting location data must be a priority, especially in light of the growing role of digital technologies in military operations. Military officials and lawmakers are calling for stricter regulation and practical steps to minimize risks associated with the use of commercial data and threats to personnel privacy.