An investigation by French newspaper Le Monde has revealed that the crews of a number of French Navy nuclear-powered submarines accidentally disclosed sensitive information relating to their boats' operating schedules via the fitness app Strava.
The crews of the unidentified submarines had reportedly shared progress on their respective workouts online via the app. This also included logging of their movements via smartwatches while their boats were out at sea.
It therefore became possible to know of each submarine's location and other information such as patrol patterns and schedules despite the fact that such information should have remained confidential.
The vessels that were reportedly tracked via the app have been operating out of Ile Longue in Brest, home of the French Navy's ballistic missile submarine force.
The report also found that many of the crews had used their real names and had publicly visible profiles on the app, thus raising concerns about possible breaches of national security.
Le Monde has quoted French Navy officials as saying that the leaks were the result of "negligence on the part of the personnel" but that there was no "major risk" and it would not affect activities at the Ile Longue base.