Israeli company suspected of spying on Starlink users
A Reuters investigation reveals that the Israeli advertising company Discover-Tech is suspected of spying on Starlink users by exploiting ad auctions to locate terminals in combat zones. Google and Comcast have blocked its activity.
A Reuters investigation, based on six sources familiar with the matter, reveals that the Israeli digital advertising technology company Discover-Tech is suspected of spying on and tracking users of SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service. According to findings by the Japanese security firm TrendAI, the Israeli company became the largest buyer of digital ad space targeting Starlink users in over 100 countries, aiming to perform geolocation and intelligence tracking. The method exploited automated trading mechanisms in ad networks to extract telemetry data and reveal the precise physical location of terminals, and in some cases, even open a path for malware injection. Locating Starlink terminals has become a strategic intelligence target, especially in Ukraine, where the military relies on them to guide drone attacks. The report joins a previous expose by Citizen Lab and Confiant, which linked Discover-Tech to an international ad network for tracking government targets. Following the findings, Google and Comcast blocked the company's activity, and at least one US corporation opened an internal investigation. SpaceX and Discover-Tech chose not to comment.