Privacy A breach of Gravy Analytics’ huge trove of location data threatens the privacy of millions

Tech Crunch ^ | 1/13/25

[EBH]

A hack and data breach at location data broker Gravy Analytics is threatening the privacy of millions of people around the world whose smartphone apps unwittingly revealed their location data collected by the data giant.

The full scale of the data breach isn’t yet known, but the alleged hacker has already published a large sample of location data from top consumer phone apps — including fitness and health, dating, and transit apps, as well as popular games. The data represents tens of millions of location data points of where people have been, live, work, and travel between.

News of the breach broke last weekend after a hacker posted screenshots of location data on a closed-access Russian language cybercrime forum, claiming they had stolen several terabytes of consumers’ data from Gravy Analytics. Independent news outlet 404 Media first reported the forum post alleging the apparent breach, which claimed to include the historical location data of millions of smartphones.

Norwegian broadcaster NRK reported on January 11 that Unacast, the parent company of Gravy Analytics, disclosed the breach with the country’s data protection authorities as required under its law.

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30 million location data points leaked so far Data privacy advocates have long warned of the risks that data brokers pose to individuals’ privacy and national security. Researchers with access to the sample of Gravy Analytics’ location data posted by the hacker say that the information can be used to extensively track people’s recent whereabouts.

[EBH]

Baptiste Robert, the CEO of digital security firm Predicta Lab who obtained a copy of the leaked dataset, said in a thread on X that the dataset contained more than 30 million location data points. These included devices located at The White House in Washington, D.C.; the Kremlin in Moscow; Vatican City; and military bases around the world.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

VERY important...

How to Get Google to Quit Tracking Your Location
Turn off Google's tracking abilities for Maps and other services on iOS, Android, and desktop.

Google Maps, in particular, can track every step you (or at least your smartphone) take and archives that activity as a personal map, dubbed Timeline. The feature helps users (and the internet) remember places you go, routes to destinations, and trips you take. But while that might sound handy for when you want to take a wander down memory lane, the privacy-conscious may want to keep that monitoring in check.

In late 2023, Google said it would begin storing data from your Timeline on your phone instead of keeping it online with other account data. And if you turn on Location History, Google will now auto-delete your history after three months unless you change the setting. For the extra cautious, there are other ways to keep your whereabouts private without entirely ditching Google.

I turned off Google Maps tracking years ago and don't miss it one bit.

[EBH]

Many of the software companies that track employee’s travel, this breach presents an interesting challange.

Depending on how and what service is used, criminals can now access your pattern and habits. They can not only track you, but also know when you are least likely to be home.

This is not just a privacy issue...it is a potential personal security risk.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

So many apps on my iPhone put up alerts “The app wants to use your location.” I always click “No”.

[FreedomPoster]

Typically there’s a when using the app choice.

[nopardons]

BTTT