Israeli Firm Suspected of Tracking Starlink Users in Over 100 Countries
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Israeli company Discover-Tech is suspected of tracking Starlink users in over 100 countries by exploiting online advertising auctions, according to a Reuters report citing cybersecurity researchers. The company allegedly purchased ads targeting Starlink users, particularly in conflict zones and sanctioned nations. Previous investigations linked Discover-Tech to spyware distribution and infrastructure connected to a sanctioned Israeli firm. Following the reports, Google and other platforms have blocked Discover-Tech, and some organizations are investigating potential surveillance of their employees.
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- Israeli firm Discover-Tech allegedly tracked Starlink users in over 100 countries via ad platforms.
- Researchers found Discover-Tech was a top buyer of ads targeting Starlink users globally.
- The company was active in conflict zones and sanctioned countries like Syria, Libya, and Yemen.
- Starlink's ability to bypass local networks makes its users a potentially valuable surveillance target.
- Previous probes linked Discover-Tech to spyware and infrastructure tied to sanctioned firm Candiru.
- Google and other ad platforms have blocked Discover-Tech following the revelations.
An Israeli digital advertising company, Discover-Tech, is suspected of using advertising platforms to track users of Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet service, according to Reuters, citing six sources familiar with a cybersecurity investigation. Researchers from Trend Micro's TrendAI unit found Discover-Tech was a major buyer of ads targeting Starlink users, ranking first in ad auction wins for the service in over 100 countries, including some where Starlink is banned or restricted. The company showed particular activity in conflict zones and sanctioned nations, being the largest ad buyer in Syria, Libya, Yemen, and South Sudan, and second in Afghanistan, despite low commercial demand for Western online ads in these regions. The findings were published by TrendAI on October 15, identifying the observed company by the codename Shadow-Earth-79, which Reuters linked to Discover-Tech. Investigators believe the company may have exploited automated online ad trading to gather user information, as ad systems provide device and location data during instant auctions. This data can be used for targeted advertising or surveillance, with Starlink's ability to bypass local networks and government restrictions making it a valuable target. Starlink is notably used by the Ukrainian military. Previous investigations by Citizen Lab and Confiant also linked Discover-Tech to collecting user data and distributing spyware via ad auctions, with infrastructure connected to Israeli cyber-espionage firm Candiru, which is under U.S. sanctions. Candiru's malware was reportedly spread through ads shown to Al Jazeera employees. Following these reports, Google and other ad platforms like Beeswax have blocked Discover-Tech. At least one major U.S. tech company and an international organization have launched internal probes into potential employee surveillance. Neither Discover-Tech nor SpaceX commented on the allegations, and the client or purpose behind the alleged tracking remains unknown.
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