NSA Releases Guidance on Limiting Location Data Exposure

The National Security Agency (NSA) has released an information sheet with guidance on how to configure mobile devices to limit how much location data they can expose. The product emphasizes that location data can be extremely valuable, potentially revealing details like the number of users in a location, user and supply movements, daily routines, and otherwise unknown associations between users and locations. It acknowledges that some of the measures for mitigating location tracking risks are impractical, given that users rely on features that would be disabled by the measures. However, it observes that users should be aware of the risks and take action based on their specific situation and risk tolerance. While this guidance is intended primarily for National Security System and Department of Defense personnel, the NSA indicates it may be useful to a wide range of users.

With the release of this document, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) also encourages administrators and users to review its tip on Privacy and Mobile Device Apps.