An Israeli advertising company, DiscoverTech, has been secretly facilitating the placement of spyware on popular websites, enabling cyberattacks against at least 45 devices at Al Jazeera, according to a recent report by NBC News.
The report, a joint effort by Citizen Lab and Confiant, details how DiscoverTech operated a hidden program called Controlium. This program allowed spyware developers, including Candiru (now Integrity Labs), to use DiscoverTech's extensive ad network, which reaches nearly 200,000 websites and apps, to deliver "no-click" spyware. Victims were infected simply by visiting a website displaying a malicious ad, without needing to click a link or download anything. The attacks occurred in 2024 and 2025. The findings highlight the vulnerability of the largely unregulated online advertising industry, which can serve as a vector for sophisticated cyberattacks. In response, several ad vendors and industry organizations, including Google and IAB Europe, have banned DiscoverTech from their platforms. Experts recommend using ad blockers and disabling advertising IDs as cybersecurity best practices, though they acknowledge these measures may not offer complete protection.
Source: NBC News
