Cybersecurity Researchers Accuse Israeli Firm of Spying on Starlink Users Worldwide
Leading cybersecurity researchers have accused Israeli technology company Discover-Tech of secretly surveilling users of Starlink, the satellite-based internet service developed by SpaceX, and identifying their geographical locations.
According to joint findings by researchers from TrendAI, a Tokyo-based subsidiary of Trend Micro, Canada's Citizen Lab, and Confiant, the ad-tech company was abusing the conventional advertising ecosystem to conduct surveillance. By exploiting the real-time automated bidding process used to display digital advertisements, known as ad bidding, the company was collecting browser and app data from Starlink users in more than 100 countries worldwide.
Mysterious Advertising Network in Sensitive Regions
The report revealed that Discover-Tech was among the leading advertising buyers in sensitive regions where legitimate Western advertising demand was absent or government restrictions prohibited Starlink use. These regions included Syria, Libya, Yemen, South Sudan, and Afghanistan.
Researchers confirmed that TrendAI had referred to the organisation conducting the surveillance under the codename “Shadow-404-79” in an earlier report, which was allegedly a pseudonym for the Israeli company. Many security organisations initially refrained from publicly identifying the company by name due to concerns over legal complications and corporate risks.
International Action and Cybersecurity Risks
Following the emergence of reports about this unusual surveillance of Starlink traffic, several major technology companies, including Google and Comcast, removed Discover-Tech from their platforms. Various international organisations and technology companies have also launched investigations to assess the impact of the surveillance.
As reliance on Starlink continues to grow worldwide, particularly in conflict zones and remote areas, the alleged digital surveillance of satellite internet users has raised serious concerns among international security analysts.
//DBTech/BMT/OR//
