Just when we thought targeted ads couldn't get any worse, these were found serving malware
Al Jazeera journalists were infected, but the number of victims could be a lot bigger.
A zero-click spyware campaign targeting Al Jazeera journalists was delivered through online advertisements, requiring no user interaction. The malware, known as "AdFection," was capable of stealing data, messages, audio, and video. It infected the devices of journalists without them interacting with the ads. The operation was linked to Israeli firms Candiru and Discover-Tech, with Candiru building the infostealer and delivery mechanism.
Discover-Tech, an ad-tech company, was found to be a front for ad espionage abuse. This discovery raised questions about Discover-Tech's legitimacy and its role in the cyber-espionage campaign. At least 45 Al Jazeera devices were compromised in 2024 and 2025, with Discover-Tech's ads appearing on apps and websites used by critical networks like the Pentagon, United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency, and the International Criminal Court.
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