U.S. Military Disables Ad Trackers on Government Devices Amid National Security Concerns
The U.S. military has disabled advertising tracking tools on government-issued phones, computers, and other devices. This action follows reports that commercially available data from these devices was being used by adversaries, including Iran, to track and potentially target American bases and personnel. The confirmation came from a letter shared by Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Representative Pat Harrigan (R-NC), which also called for the Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General to review department security guidelines. While some branches, like the Air Force, only directed the disabling of ad trackers in July, the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Special Operations Command have all confirmed taking this step. Mobile advertising IDs (MAIDs), unique identifiers that track location, routes, and habits, were a primary concern. Eva Galperin, Director of Cybersecurity for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, noted that disabling MAIDs is a straightforward way to close a significant loophole, though i... 
