2026-01-01 21:00
publication
2026-01-01 21:00
Using advertising data shared via phones, it is possible to track down employees of French services; also those who work in the Elysée Palace and are responsible for the president's security – revealed the international investigation “Data Brokers Files”, among others. the daily “Le Monde”.
The newspaper emphasized that the identity of French service employees is strictly secret. However, due to “the lack of regulation in the location data trade market, their identity and habits – including those of their loved ones – may be revealed, which may be dangerous for them and for the people they protect.”
“Le Monde” – together with the Belgian newspaper “L'Echo”, the German portal Netzpoliti, the Dutch public broadcaster BNR and the German radio station BR – gained access to a database containing over 16 million location points. Based on this collection, the editors managed to determine the identity, habits and whereabouts of numerous officers, including French foreign intelligence, military counterintelligence, and the gendarmerie unit responsible for protecting the president or high-ranking employees of the arms companies Naval Group (including submarines), KNDS (Caesar howitzers) and Thales (including radars).
The newspaper explained that Thanks to this, journalists were able to obtain information about the location of the phones of soldiers serving at the Ile Longue base, where nuclear-powered submarines carrying ballistic missiles with thermonuclear warheads are stationed. Location data obtained from one of the cells allowed us to determine, for example, the identity of one of the bodyguards of French President Emmanuel Macron. The media found out where he lives, but also – for example – when the head of state goes with his wife to one of the presidential residences.
Le Monde did not disclose this information in the article, but wrote descriptions showing how much information can be obtained through location data, which even with the so-called Good digital hygiene is hard to keep to yourself.
The newspaper drew attention to the threat posed by the lack of regulation of the market for the sale of location data and the lack of knowledge of service officers about this danger. Moreover, Le Monde noted that there is a special service called “advertising intelligence”, which selects and provides location data on behalf of intelligence agencies.
When asked by Le Monde journalists about the problem resulting from sharing location data over phones, the French Ministry of Defense replied that it was aware of its existence and took into account the risks arising from it, as well as educating its employees, both civilian and military. The foreign and domestic intelligence service responded similarly.
The director of the French agency responsible for the security of information systems (ANSSI), Vincent Strubel, expressed the view that information about the visit or departure of a given official is not the most important, but may be dangerous for service officers carrying out operational tasks. (PAP)
awm/mal/
