Israeli firm accused of spying on Starlink users using online adverts

An Israeli company, Discover-Tech, allegedly used the online advertising system to collect location data on users of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service in more than 100 countries, according to a Reuters report published on Wednesday. Reuters , citing six sources with knowledge of the case, said the company used advertising auctions to track users’ locations and potentially monitor their online activity. The findings do not prove that specific Starlink users were successfully tracked or that their devices were infected with spyware. The research came from TrendAI, a unit of Tokyo-based cybersecurity firm Trend Micro.

Its researchers found unusually heavy activity by Discover-Tech in auctions involving Starlink users, with the company appearing to be the highest bidder for advertising space linked to the service in more than 100 countries, which included states where Starlink is banned or restricted. Such auctions take place automatically each time someone visits a website or opens an app, with advertising firms competing to show an advert. Details of the user’s device, IP address and approximate location may be passed on during the process. A company that takes part systematically can collect that data without ever displaying an advert, and can combine it with other information to try to identify users and follow them across sites and apps. TrendAI published a report on October 15 describing the activity but did not name the company, using the codename “Shadow-Earth-79”, with all six sources telling Reuters the name referred to Discover-Tech. TrendAI said its policy on identifying those responsible is meant to avoid misattribution. Its researchers found particularly intense activity in Syria, Libya, Yemen and South Sudan, where demand for ordinary…