Israeli Ad Tech Firm Accused of Tracking Starlink Users Across More Than 100 Countries
Starlink tracking concerns emerge after researchers flag suspicious digital advertising activity.
An Israeli advertising technology company allegedly became one of the largest bidders for digital advertisements reaching users of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, potentially enabling the tracking of users across more than 100 countries, according to people familiar with cybersecurity research.
Researchers at TrendAI, a cybersecurity unit of Tokyo-based Trend Micro, reportedly identified Discover-Tech as a major source of ads targeting Starlink users. Six people familiar with the findings told Reuters that researchers believed the advertising activity could support geolocation or other forms of surveillance.
The researchers analysed digital advertising data collected through TrendAI’s telemetry. Their findings suggested Discover-Tech had become the leading bidder for Starlink-related advertising traffic in more than 100 countries, including places where the satellite internet service is banned or restricted.
SpaceX and Discover-Tech did not respond to requests for comment, according to the report.
TrendAI Report Uses a Codename
TrendAI published a report on October 15 describing suspicious advertising activity linked to an entity it called “Shadow-Earth-79”. The report did not publicly identify Discover-Tech.
Six sources familiar with the research said Shadow-Earth-79 was TrendAI’s internal codename for the Israeli company. According to five of those sources, researchers considered naming Discover-Tech in the report but dropped the idea after executives raised legal concerns.
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TrendAI said its attribution approach aimed to reduce the risk of mistakes. The company also warned against labels that could mislead cybersecurity teams, distort risk assessments or prompt inappropriate responses.
The firm did not directly explain why its report omitted Discover-Tech’s name.
How Digital Advertising Could Enable Tracking
Digital advertising relies on bidding systems through which advertisers compete for space in websites and apps. During these auctions, information about users and their devices may be exposed to bidders.
Researchers and privacy advocates warn that advertisers could collect such data over time, combine it with other information and use it to identify or track people. In some circumstances, the resulting profiles could help operators target individuals with surveillance software.
Citizen Lab, a Canadian research group, and Confiant, a New York-based advertising technology firm, separately identified Discover-Tech on the same day TrendAI published its report. They alleged that the company had abused the ad-bidding process to obtain data that could expose internet users.
Both groups said the ads appeared across dozens of sensitive networks associated with media organisations, governments and technology companies.
Following the investigations, Google, Comcast and other companies said they had removed Discover-Tech from their advertising platforms. One major US technology company and an international organisation also launched internal inquiries into whether the ads had targeted their employees, according to people familiar with the matter.
Starlink Users in Conflict Zones Face Particular Risks
Starlink provides internet access through SpaceX-operated satellites rather than relying solely on national telecommunications networks. This can allow users to connect in remote areas and places where conventional internet access faces restrictions.
The service has become particularly important in Ukraine, where the military uses it for frontline communications and to support drone operations. Its reach in conflict zones and restricted markets has also raised concerns among governments seeking greater control over satellite internet terminals.
Tracking Starlink users could therefore carry implications beyond commercial advertising, particularly where internet access, military communications or political activity are sensitive.
Suspicious Bidding Patterns Across Multiple Countries
TrendAI’s report said the bidding activity showed signs of a targeting and tracking operation rather than a conventional commercial advertising business.
The report described the entity as a leading buyer of digital ads in Syria, Libya, Yemen and South Sudan, and the second-largest buyer in Afghanistan. It also reported unusually high bidding shares in countries including Hungary, Israel, Egypt, Azerbaijan and Venezuela.
The researchers considered the activity suspicious because demand for conventional Western advertising could be limited in countries affected by sanctions or active conflict. However, bidding patterns alone do not establish who ultimately used the data or prove that every advertisement supported surveillance.
Broader Questions Over Cybersecurity Attribution
The case has renewed debate about how cybersecurity firms identify suspected surveillance operations and when they should publicly name organisations.
Industry experts say companies may hesitate to make public attributions when evidence remains uncertain or legal and commercial risks are high. At the same time, withholding names can make it harder for potential targets to assess their exposure.
The Discover-Tech allegations follow earlier media reports about businesses offering ways to identify or track Starlink users. Those reports also raised questions about whether advertising data could play a role in such efforts.
The allegations remain subject to verification. Discover-Tech has not publicly responded to the reported findings, while TrendAI has defended its cautious approach to attribution.
