An Israeli ad tech company Discover-Tech was heavily targeting Starlink users in a likely effort to track or surveil them, according to six sources. Researchers at TrendAI found it was the top bidder on Starlink traffic in over 100 countries.
What Happened
Researchers at TrendAI, a unit of Tokyo-based Trend Micro, concluded that Israeli firm Discover-Tech was among the biggest sources of digital ads shown to Starlink users, six people familiar with the matter said.
Using digital advertising data from its telemetry, the team found the company was the number one bidder on Starlink traffic in more than 100 countries, including some where the service is banned or restricted.
SpaceX, Discover-Tech and its chief executive did not respond to requests for comment.
Why Starlink Users Were Heavily Targeted
Finding ways to track Starlink users has become a cottage industry.
Because the terminals route data through SpaceX satellites rather than nationally regulated telecom firms, they can sidestep local internet restrictions, work in hostile areas and help coordinate action on battlefields.
Starlink is especially important in Ukraine, where the military relies on it for frontline communications and drone strikes.
In May, Haaretz and Intelligence Online reported that Israeli businesses were pitching clients on ways to identify and track Starlink users.
How the Ad Tech Surveillance Worked
Bidding is the auction system advertisers use to win space in people’s browsers and apps. Citizen Lab and Confiant said Discover-Tech abused this process, which can leak data about users back to the bidder.
Over time, bidders can collect that data, combine it with other information, de-anonymize users, follow them online and sometimes set them up for surveillance software.
The ads appeared inside dozens of sensitive networks belonging to media groups, governments and tech firms. Google and others dropped it.
Why This Matters for Satellite Internet Security
TrendAI’s report said the bidding looked like tracking infrastructure rather than a commercial advertising operation.
The entity was the top ad buyer in Syria, Libya, Yemen and South Sudan, places with almost no legitimate Western advertising demand.
TrendAI did not name Discover-Tech in its public report, with five sources citing legal concerns from executives.
At least one US tech company and one international organization have opened inquiries into whether their employees were targeted.
Experts say self-censorship is common in cybersecurity.
