Israeli Ad Firm Allegedly Conducts Spy Operations on Starlink Users

• •Discover-Tech is the top bidder for ads targeting Starlink users in 105 countries.
• •The ad bidding process may expose user data, facilitating surveillance efforts.
• •Google has terminated Discover-Tech's access to its advertising platforms due to these findings.

Researchers from TrendAI, a division of Trend Micro, have identified Discover-Tech, an Israeli advertising firm, as the leading bidder for ads targeting users of SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service in over 100 countries. This activity is suspected to be part of a broader surveillance operation aimed at geolocating and monitoring users, particularly in conflict zones and sanctioned regions. Discover-Tech's ads reportedly accounted for approximately 13% of all winning bids in Starlink-related advertising, significantly higher than the average for other bidders. The investigation revealed that the ad bidding process could expose sensitive user data, potentially enabling surveillance efforts. Reports indicate that the company has been linked to spyware delivery methods, including a technique called 'AdFection,' which can infect devices without user interaction. Google and IAB Europe have since cut off Discover-Tech from their advertising platforms due to these findings. The situation raises significant concerns about the misuse of digital advertising for espionage purposes.