In a world with technological inventions seemingly every month, U.S. troops and special operators are facing a whole different set of problems that no one could have imagined a few years ago.

In the past few years, a series of flaps involving U.S. and Coalition special operations forces and popular fitness applications, such as Strava or the Apple Watch, have jeopardized operational and personal security.

These flaps offer near-peer competitors, such as China and Russia, and even terrorist groups a glimpse behind the shadowy world of special operations and intelligence that can be used against the commandos.

In 2018, reports revealed that the popular fitness tracker Strava could be manipulated to show the positions, bases, and even patrol routes of U.S. troops in Syria, Afghanistan, and other countries.