Nicosia, Cyprus. A company based in Cyprus has reportedly developed technology that can reveal the locations and identities of users of Elon Musk’s satellite internet service, Starlink. Israeli media reports said the tools are marketed to governments and are presented as not requiring interception of communications or breaking encryption.
Reported Starlink tracking system
Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that the company, TargetTeam, has developed a system called Stargetz which, according to sales materials, can track close to one million Starlink terminals worldwide.
Haaretz reported that the technology is sold to governments and that, rather than breaching encryption, it maps the locations of Starlink terminals across the globe, exposing the location of those connecting to the internet through the devices. The newspaper added that the tool uses data fusion not only to map terminals but also to try to identify the users connecting through them.
Company background and additional tool
Haaretz reported that TargetTeam was founded by former employees of Israeli cyber intelligence firms including Rayzone and Cognyte.
The Jerusalem Post reported that the company also has a “VPN de-anonymising tool” called VPNz, which it said enables users to determine the true identities of people accessing the internet through virtual private networks that typically conceal identities and locations online.
According to the Jerusalem Post, TargetTeam does not intercept communication traffic or breach Starlink’s encryption in order to identify users, and the company believes this will help it avoid legal and public disputes over the tool’s usage.
Human rights concerns and potential military applications
Amnesty International’s security lab head Donncha Ó Cearbhaill told Haaretz that satellite-based internet services are increasingly vital for people facing internet shutdowns and conflict, citing places including Sudan, Myanmar and Iran.
Haaretz also reported that marketing materials have suggested military uses for the technology, including locating naval vessels that have switched off their transponders.
How should governments balance security uses of location-mapping tools with the privacy and safety of civilians who rely on satellite internet services?
