The Pentagon Knew Enemies Could Track Troops' Phones for Years. Now They Are
The Pentagon has acknowledged that adversaries are exploiting commercial location data to target US troops. Despite warnings over the years about the risks of this data, the military has largely ignored calls for comprehensive privacy legislation. As a result, sensitive information about troop locations has become accessible to potential enemies.
- ▪The US military has known for nearly a decade that commercial location data could expose troop movements.
- ▪US Central Command confirmed that adversaries are using this data to target American personnel in conflict zones.
- ▪Despite repeated warnings, comprehensive privacy legislation has stalled in Washington, leaving the data-broker industry largely unregulated.
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Dell CameronSecurityMay 28, 2026 12:59 PMThe Pentagon Knew Enemies Could Track Troops’ Phones for Years. Now They AreThe US military has long known that cheap fixes could stop location data from exposing its troops. It adopted almost none—and now says adversaries are using the data to target soldiers during a war.Photo-Illustration: Jobanny Cabrera; Getty ImagesCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyFor nearly a decade, the Pentagon was warned—by its own contractors, analysts, and intelligence agencies—that anyone with a credit card could buy a map of where American troops sleep, work, and store nuclear weapons.
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