An Israeli company is accused of targeting Starlink users worldwide for espionage purposes

Cairo – Reuters revealed that an Israeli advertising technology company called Discover-Tech has been intensively targeting users of the Starlink satellite internet service. This activity has raised concerns among cybersecurity experts the potential use of digital advertising to geolocate users and track their movements, potentially paving the way for surveillance programs to target them.

The agency quoted six sources familiar with the matter as saying that researchers at Trend AI, a cybersecurity firm owned by Japan’s Trend Micro, detected unusual patterns in digital advertising auctions linked to Starlink users. Starlink is owned by the American company SpaceX.

Discover-Tech leads the advertising auctions

Researchers found that the Israeli company was among the top bidders for advertising space targeting Starlink users. It also led the list of bidders for the service’s traffic in over 100 countries, including some that ban or restrict the service.

A report published by Trend AI on October 15 referred to an entity it called “Shadow Earth 79,” without disclosing the name of the Israeli company. Sources said this codename refers to Discover-Tech. They explained that the researchers discussed revealing the company’s name before backing down due to legal concerns.

Advertising mechanism raises concerns espionage

Canadian group Citizen Lab and US-based Conviant said DiscoverTech misused its advertising bidding system. This system could expose internet users’ data to those participating in the auctions.

This data can be collected and linked to other information to identify users, locate them, and track their online activity. They may also be targeted with surveillance tools. A Trend AI report noted the company’s extensive activity in Syria, Libya, Yemen, South Sudan, and Afghanistan—areas experiencing conflict or subject to restrictions and sanctions.

Technology companies launch investigations

SpaceX, Discover-Tech, and its CEO did not respond to requests for , according to the agency. The published information also did not provide conclusive evidence that all the monitored ads were used for espionage. However, it raised questions the risks of exploiting digital advertising systems to track users of satellite internet services. These systems have gained strategic importance in conflict zones, particularly Ukraine.