Discover-Tech targets Starlink users for surveillance, says TrendAI

Israeli ad tech firm Discover-Tech has been identified as a primary player in a global surveillance effort targeting users of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service. A report from TrendAI, a cybersecurity unit of Trend Micro, reveals that the company has become a leading bidder for advertisements specifically aimed at Starlink users across more than 100 countries. This activity reportedly includes regions where the satellite service is officially banned or restricted, raising alarms about the privacy and security of users operating in sensitive environments.

According to the TrendAI report released on October 15, the firm—which researchers initially labeled as "Shadow-Earth-79"—is allegedly misusing the complex real-time bidding process of the digital advertising industry. By winning bids for ads directed at specific internet service provider (ISP) traffic, Discover-Tech can collect sensitive metadata and user information. These findings were supported by separate investigations from Citizen Lab and Confiant, which identified Discover-Tech as using the ad-bidding ecosystem to harvest data that could compromise user anonymity.

The tracking of satellite internet users has become a focal point for intelligence agencies and governments concerned about the circumvention of local internet regulations. As Starlink provides connectivity in conflict zones and under authoritarian regimes, the ability for a third party to monitor these connections poses a significant risk to individuals relying on the service for secure communication. This development underscores a growing industry dedicated to exploiting digital advertising to bypass traditional privacy safeguards, creating new challenges for the security of global satellite communications.