The location data of EU officials has been sold on the internet, exposing them to espionage risks. The European Commission reacted by issuing new guidelines.

A investigation conducted by European journalists has revealed a major security breach, in which the location data of European Union officials was sold on the internet. The coalition of reporters obtained a dataset from a broker, containing 278 million location points, including information about high-ranking EU officials. They managed to identify hundreds of devices in sensitive areas, including the European Parliament and NATO sites.

The European Commission has acknowledged the seriousness of the situation and has issued new guidelines for its staff, in an attempt to protect sensitive data. Although Europe has strict data protection regulations, enforcement against data brokers remains slow. This situation highlights the risks associated with the sale of location data, which can be used to reidentify individuals, even in conditions where they are presented as being anonymous.