US Troops at Risk of Being Targeted Using Phone Location Data, Pentagon Says

The U.S. military issued its highest force protection alert on Feb. 28, as U.S. forces entered combat with Iran.

U.S. Army paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division arrive at Ali Al Salem Air Base, in Kuwait, on Jan. 2, 2020. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Daniel Martinez

U.S. military personnel in the Middle East are at risk of being surveilled and targeted through the geolocation data on their smartphones, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) recently notified lawmakers.

“USCENTCOM has received multiple threat reports concerning adversary exploitation of commercial location data to target or surveil U.S. personnel in theater,” CENTCOM said in a letter it shared with Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) on April 14, and which Reuters first reported on May 28.