developing· Security· Updated 16:53

Israeli Firms Accused of Using Ads to Distribute Spyware

The Israeli digital advertising firm Discover-Tech has been accused of spying on internet users and facilitating device hacking through a vast network of online advertisements. Reports published on Thursday by the research groups Citizen Lab and Confiant allege that the company's services provided surveillance firms, including the blacklisted Israeli company Candiru, with access to major advertising platforms.

4 newsrooms · 2 languages · since 13:27

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What happened

01Israeli ad firm Discover-Tech allegedly used online advertisements to spy on hundreds of millions of users and facilitate device hacking.
02The research groups Citizen Lab and Confiant reported that Discover-Tech's ads reached over 120,000 websites and 75,000 apps globally.
03The malicious ads appeared on platforms used by sensitive organizations, including the Pentagon, the United Nations, and the European Commission.
04Spyware from the Israeli firm Candiru, now Integrity Labs, allegedly compromised 45 Windows computers at Al Jazeera between 2024 and 2025.
05Researchers identified a technique called "Ad-fection," where spyware could infect a device simply by loading an advertisement on a webpage.
06Discover-Tech's "Controllium" system was allegedly used to track and target devices for spyware distribution.
07Google, Comcast, and Yandex removed Discover-Tech from their advertising platforms, while IAB Europe suspended its activities.

According to the findings, Discover-Tech distributed at least 10 million ads daily, reaching over 120,000 websites and 75,000 applications globally. The ads, which appeared on platforms used by sensitive organizations such as the Pentagon, the United Nations, and the European Commission, allowed the firm to track users and extract phone numbers. In some cases, spyware installation could be triggered simply by loading an ad on a webpage, a technique researchers termed "Ad-fection."

Citizen Lab reported that this method was used to target employees of the Al Jazeera news network. Between 2024 and 2025, spyware from Candiru, which now operates under the name Integrity Labs, allegedly compromised 45 Windows-based computers at the network. Discover-Tech's "Controllium" system was identified as the tool used for tracking and targeting these devices.

Following the revelations, major platforms and regulatory bodies took immediate action against Discover-Tech. Google, Comcast, and Russia's Yandex removed the firm from their advertising markets, while the European Advertising Standards Alliance and IAB Europe suspended its activities and removed it from approved provider lists.

Summarized by baba from the reports of 3 newsrooms. Updated 16:17

Latest report: Bizportal. Read Bizportal’s original