US military confirms adversaries tracked troops using commercial location data
The Department of Defense acknowledges hostile actors exploited purchased data to surveil servicemembers, raising alarms over privacy and security in the digital advertising ecosystem.
The US Department of Defense has confirmed that adversaries have targeted and surveilled serving military personnel on the battlefield by exploiting commercial location data. The revelation underscores how information harvested from personal devices through online advertising networks can be repurposed to track and endanger individuals in conflict zones.
In a letter shared with TechCrunch by Senator Ron Wyden, US Central Command (USCENTCOM) acknowledged receipt of multiple threat reports concerning the exploitation of this data. The command stated it was aware of hostile actors using purchased location data to target or surveil US personnel in theatre, though the correspondence did not provide specific examples or details of the incidents.
Senator Wyden, a leading privacy lawmaker, used the confirmation to argue that the digital advertising technology sector requires urgent regulatory scrutiny. He told Reuters that it was time to start treating the adtech industry as a national security threat, citing the ease with which adversaries can access granular location information sold on the open market.
The data in question is typically collected from phones and computers via online advertising and subsequently sold by data brokers. While the US government and militaries have historically purchased this same data without obtaining a warrant, the current confirmation highlights the risks associated with the open market availability of such sensitive information.
The FBI has previously warned consumers to use ad blockers to minimise data collection by apps, websites, and other software. Reuters was the first outlet to report the news on Thursday, while a Department of Defense spokesperson did not return a request for comment regarding the specific nature of the threat reports or ongoing countermeasures.
