{
  "id": 16778312,
  "title": "Israeli ad tech firm tied to suspected Starlink tracking effort, report claims",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/27/israeli-ad-tech-firm-tied-to-suspected-starlink-tracking-effort",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-27T17:37:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Tom's Hardware",
    "slug": "tom-s-hardware",
    "url": "https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/cyber-security/israeli-ad-tech-firm-tied-to-suspected-starlink-tracking-effort-report-claims-researchers-say-it-outbid-everyone-for-starlink-linked-ads-in-100-countries-including-where-the-service-is-banned"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Israeli advertising technology firm Discover-Tech is linked to a suspected surveillance effort targeting Starlink users, according to a Reuters report. The investigation, conducted by TrendAI, the research arm of Trend Micro, reveals that Discover-Tech was the top bidder for ad space associated with Starlink traffic in over 100 countries. The aggressive bidding was suspected to be used for revealing users' locations or enabling further monitoring, although it does not confirm actual tracking. The data was sourced from TrendAI's research arm, TrendAI. The codename \"Shadow-Earth-79\" attributed to Discover-Tech is designed to avoid misleading labels that could mislead security teams. The method exploits online ad auctions, where advertisers bid in real-time, potentially collecting personal data that could be used to track individuals. Discover-Tech was reportedly the largest ad buyer in several countries, including Syria, Libya, Yemen, Afghanistan, Hungary, Israel, Egypt, Azerbaijan, and Venezuela. This pattern suggests a targeting and tracking infrastructure rather than a conventional advertising operation. Previously, both Citizen Lab and ad security firm Confiant accused Discover-Tech of using ad auctions to collect data on users across sensitive networks. Following the report, Google and Comcast removed Discover-Tech from their advertising platforms, and multiple organizations initiated internal inquiries into the firm's ad targeting practices. The stakes for Starlink users are high, as the service provides connectivity in regions with restricted internet access, making its users appealing targets for governments.",
  "summary": "Citizen Lab and Confiant linked Israeli firm Discover-Tech to suspected surveillance through online advertising. Researchers said its ads appeared across nearly 200,000 websites and mobile apps. TrendAI separately identified related activity under the codename “SHADOW-EARTH-79.” The findings raise concerns about ad auctions being exploited to track users across sensitive networks, though ad…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}