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Citizen Lab uncovered “zero-click” attacks that used targeted digital advertisements to install Candiru spyware on devices belonging to Al Jazeera Media Network, by exploiting the advertising ecosystem and the scripting within it. The operation involved billions of ad auctions, prompting major advertising companies to remove associated accounts and domains.
Citizen Lab has revealed spyware called AdFection that can infect phones and computers simply by displaying an advertisement, without the user clicking a link or opening a file. The organization says the technology was developed by Israeli company Discover-Tech and used to target journalists and employees at international institutions.