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Citizen Lab: zero-click spyware spread through online ads

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Neutral summary

The Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto, together with New York-based digital ad security firm Confiant, published reports on October 15 providing the first technical evidence of mercenary spyware being delivered through online advertising. According to the findings, Israeli company Discover-Tech, which presented itself as a legitimate ad agency, secretly helped spyware developers, including Candiru — a company blacklisted by the US government — place malicious ads within advertising platforms run by Google, Comcast, Russia's Yandex and others. The attacks, dubbed AdFection, exploited vulnerabilities to infect devices when users simply viewed a website or used an app. Researchers found that at least 45 devices belonging to Al Jazeera staff were targeted in 2024 and 2025. Ads linked to the operation appeared on websites of the European Union, NATO and the Pentagon, and the scale of the operation may have reached hundreds of millions of internet users. The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Israeli and other authorities to investigate and hold those responsible to account.

How it was framed

Outlets: 25. Countries: 14. Facts in the shared core: 5.

Publication timeline

  1. · Wired (outlet profile)

    ‘Nightmare Scenario’: Zero-Click Spyware Is Infecting Phones via Targeted Ads. Researchers at The Citizen Lab have for the first time released technical evidence of sophisticated mercenary spyware being distributed via…

  2. · NBC News (outlet profile)

    Israeli ad company helped a spyware firm target Al Jazeera through online ads, researchers say. An Israeli ad company, DiscoverTech, has for years been secretly helping spyware developers place their hacking software on…

  3. · TechCrunch (outlet profile)

    Citizen Lab says governments are abusing online ads to hack people with ‘zero-click’ spyware. The digital rights unit found evidence that dozens of devices at media organization Al Jazeera were hacked after being shown…

  4. · Financial Times (outlet profile)

    New ‘zero-click’ spyware hacked phones using targeted ads. Citizen Lab researchers uncover Israeli-developed ‘AdFection’ technique that requires no interaction from victim to infect devices

  5. · Al-Monitor (outlet profile)

    Israeli firm used online ads to run vast spy operation, researchers say. By Raphael Satter WASHINGTON, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Israeli digital advertising agency Discover-Tech spied on internet users through a sprawling netw…

  6. · The Jerusalem Post (outlet profile)

    Israeli digital advertising agency spied on internet users, hacked devices through online ads. Its services gave Candiru, a spyware company blacklisted by the US government, and other surveillance firms access to advert…

  7. · Politico Europe (outlet profile)

    Millions of phones exposed to Israeli spyware operation through online ads, researchers say. EU and NATO websites displayed online ads linked to Israeli hacking software.

  8. · Engadget (outlet profile)

    CitizenLab details new spyware triggered by online advertising. A new type of spyware dubbed "AdFection" is infecting phones and computers via global online advertising networks.

  9. · Frandroid (outlet profile)

    AdFection : la publicité ciblée est devenue un outil de propagation de logiciels espions. Le Citizen Lab a documenté ce jeudi 15 octobre la première attaque connue où un logiciel espion est livré par une publicité ciblé…

  10. · The Verge (outlet profile)

    An Israeli firm is sending spyware through online ads, researchers say. An Israeli ad tech firm worked with spyware companies to infect devices, including at Al Jazeera, by simply showing users an online ad, according t…

  11. · The Register (outlet profile)

    Spyware vendors found a way to make targeted ads even worse. Israeli adtech outfit allegedly helped spyware vendors infect phones while enjoying Google's seal of approval

  12. · Heise (outlet profile)

    AdFection: Wie Online-Werbung zum Einfallstor für Staatstrojaner wird. Eine Studie des Citizen Lab enthüllt, dass globale Werbenetzwerke für gezielte Zero-Click-Spionageangriffe missbraucht werden. Auch Medienhäuser sin…

  13. · InfoMoney (outlet profile)

    Empresa israelense usa anúncios online em operação de espionagem, dizem pesquisadores. Empresa israelense usa anúncios online em operação de espionagem, dizem pesquisadores The post Empresa israelense usa anúncios onlin…

  14. · Le Monde (outlet profile)

    Comment des publicités d’apparence anodine permettent de diffuser des logiciels espions. Deux rapports publiés jeudi lèvent le voile sur Discover-Tech, une entreprise israélienne spécialisée dans la publicité en ligne q…

  15. · Al Jazeera (outlet profile)

    Israeli ad-tech firm helped place spyware on Al Jazeera devices. Citizen Lab investigation says dozens of Al Jazeera devices were infected by malware planted through advertisements.

  16. · CPJ (outlet profile)

    Report: Israeli ad-tech firm enables spyware targeting of at least 45 Al Jazeera devices. The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Israeli and other relevant authorities to investigate and hold to account those res…

  17. · Dnevnik (Novi Sad) (outlet profile)

    Израелци преко интернет огласа развили ШИРОКУ ШПИЈУНСКУ ОПЕРАЦИЈУ на више од 120.000 веб-сајтова и у око 75.000 апликација! „Рекламирали“ телефоне и бежичне слушалице. Израелска агенција за дигитално оглашавање "Дискаве…

  18. · Middle East Eye (outlet profile)

    Israeli spyware targeted 'hundreds of millions' through zero-click ads, researchers find. Israeli spyware targeted 'hundreds of millions' through zero-click ads, researchers find Submitted by MEE staff on Thu, 10/15/202…

  19. · Middle East Eye (outlet profile)

    Israeli spyware targeted 'hundreds of millions' through zero-click ads, researchers find. Israeli spyware targeted 'hundreds of millions' through zero-click ads, researchers find Millions of people's devices have been i…

  20. · 3DNews (outlet profile)

    Шпионское ПО научилось заражать устройства через рекламу без единого клика — достаточно просто открыть сайт. Специалисты лаборатории Citizen Lab при Университете Торонто впервые подтвердили заражение устройств шпионским…

  21. · Rzeczpospolita (outlet profile)

    Izraelska firma szpiegowała internautów za pomocą reklam. Dotrarli do sieci ONZ i NATO. Izraelska firma Discover-Tech wykorzystywała reklamy internetowe do śledzenia użytkowników i prób instalowania oprogramowania szpie…

  22. · Rzeczpospolita (outlet profile)

    Izraelska firma szpiegowała internautów za pomocą reklam. Dotarli do sieci ONZ i NATO. Izraelska firma Discover-Tech wykorzystywała reklamy internetowe do śledzenia użytkowników i prób instalowania oprogramowania szpieg…

  23. · Ars Technica (outlet profile)

    Targeted ads delivered 0-click exploits to install mercenary malware. The incident is likely 1st confirmation of mercenary spyware delivered by targeted ads.

  24. · Al Jazeera (outlet profile)

    Israeli ‘ad’ firm helped infect spyware into Al Jazeera devices. An Israeli spyware disguised as a digital advertisement firm has targeted journalists’ devices at Al Jazeera.

  25. · CBC News (outlet profile)

    Israeli firm used ads to enable espionage, Canadian researchers say. An Israeli advertising agency has placed ads seen by millions of internet users that have left them open to spyware attacks, according to a new report…

  26. · Times of India (outlet profile)

    Israeli firm used online ads to run vast spy operation, researchers say

  27. · The National (UAE) (outlet profile)

    Israeli company used online ads to run spy operation against 'hundreds of millions of people'

  28. · NIN (outlet profile)

    Oglas kao zamka za telefon: Istraživači otkrili špijunsku operaciju koja je doprla do miliona uređaja. Oglasi povezani sa špijunskom operacijom prikazivani su i na sajtovima EU i NATO. Za potencijalni napad nije potreba…

Factual core

  • The spyware was propagated through targeted advertising.
  • An Israeli company used online advertisements in a spy operation, according to researchers.
  • Citizen Lab reported that governments are abusing online ads to hack people with 'zero-click' spyware.
  • The spyware is described as zero-click, meaning it can infect phones without user interaction.
  • Discover-Tech used online ads to track targets and help hack their devices.

Full methodology →

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