An Israeli advertising technology company heavily targeted users of Starlink, the satellite internet service run by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, in what researchers believe was an effort to track them, Reuters reported. A tech analyst has suggested the surveillance risk is one reason the Starlink Pakistan launch has yet to take place.
Researchers at TrendAI, a unit of the Tokyo-based cybersecurity firm Trend Micro, found that Discover-Tech, an Israeli ad-tech company, had become one of the biggest buyers of digital ads shown to Starlink users. It was the top bidder for Starlink traffic in more than 100 countries, including several where the service is banned or restricted, six people familiar with the findings said.
The researchers concluded the ads were likely used to work out where users were and to watch what they did online. ProPakistani reported the findings on Saturday, linking them to the long wait for Starlink in Pakistan.
How the tracking worked
Online ads are sold through auctions that run in a fraction of a second each time a page or app loads. Details about the user can leak back to the bidder in that process. Over time, a bidder can collect that data, join it up with other records, and use it to identify people and follow them online.
TrendAI’s report said the bidding pattern behind Discover-Tech pointed to “targeting and tracking infrastructure rather than a commercial advertising operation”. The firm was the top buyer of ads in Syria, Libya, Yemen and South Sudan, and the second-biggest buyer in Afghanistan. It also won an “implausibly dominant share” of bids in several countries.
Citizen Lab, a Canadian cyber watchdog, and Confiant, a New York ad-tech firm, said the ads had appeared inside dozens of sensitive networks belonging to media organisations, governments and tech firms. Google, Comcast and other companies said they had removed Discover-Tech from their platforms. SpaceX and Discover-Tech did not respond to requests for comment.
The report that named the firm
TrendAI published its report on October 15 without naming Discover-Tech. It called the party behind the bidding “an ad tech entity” and gave it the codename “Shadow-Earth-79”. Five sources said the researchers had discussed naming the company, but dropped the idea after executives raised legal concerns.
Citizen Lab and Confiant named Discover-Tech the same day. Both groups said the firm had abused the ad bidding process, which can leak data about users back to the bidder.
In May, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz and the website Intelligence Online separately reported that Israeli-owned businesses were pitching clients on ways to identify and track Starlink users.
Why Starlink users are a target
Finding ways to track Starlink users has become a busy field as governments try to get a grip on satellite internet terminals. The terminals route data through SpaceX-operated satellites rather than nationally regulated telecom firms, so they can sidestep local internet curbs and work in hostile areas.
Starlink has become a key resource in Ukraine, where the military relies on it for frontline communications and for directing drone strikes. That reliance has made its users a target, and Musk’s earlier Starlink row over Ukraine showed how closely governments watch the network.
What it means for the Starlink Pakistan launch
Starlink is still not live in Pakistan, and the service has no confirmed launch date. The company has registered locally as Starlink Internet Services Pakistan (Private) Limited and received provisional registration from the Pakistan Space Activities Regulatory Board in March 2025. But its full registration with the board is still incomplete, and that step must be cleared before it can apply to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) for a fixed satellite service licence.
Security clearances for the foreign directors and shareholders of Starlink and two other satellite firms are still pending with the Ministry of Interior, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan told a Senate committee, Samaa reported. The PTA will issue licences once those clearances and the board’s no-objection certificate are in place. The federal cabinet approved the fixed satellite services licensing framework in April 2026, and the PTA chairman has told the Senate that no Starlink licence application is currently pending before the authority.
No direct link has been established between Discover-Tech and the launch delay in Pakistan. The analyst’s view is a suggestion, not a finding, and the regulatory record shows the wait is driven by the licensing steps above. Even so, the findings add a fresh question to a launch Pakistani users have awaited for years. The PTA has already proposed 10-year licences under new radio-based services rules, and SpaceX has been reported in talks with Boost Mobile over Starlink service in the United States. In India, Reliance Jio is still awaiting the same kind of clearances that Starlink needs in Pakistan.
Frequently asked questions
What did researchers find about Starlink users?
Researchers at TrendAI found that the Israeli ad-tech firm Discover-Tech was one of the biggest buyers of digital ads shown to Starlink users, and the top bidder for Starlink traffic in more than 100 countries. The ads were likely used to locate and surveil users.
Who is Discover-Tech?
Discover-Tech is an Israeli digital advertising company. TrendAI’s October 15 report called it “Shadow-Earth-79” without naming it, and Citizen Lab and Confiant named the company the same day. Google, Comcast and other firms have since removed it from their ad platforms.
Is Starlink available in Pakistan?
No. Starlink is not live in Pakistan and has no confirmed launch date. The company has registered with the SECP and holds provisional registration with the space activities board, but its full registration is incomplete and the PTA has not issued it a licence.
What happens next for Starlink in Pakistan?
Starlink must complete its full registration with the Pakistan Space Activities Regulatory Board and clear security checks with the Ministry of Interior. Only then can it apply to the PTA for a fixed satellite service licence. There is no confirmed date for any of those steps.
