Hidden 'spyware' in online ads poses new threat
LETTER: Malaysians have been reminded to avoid suspicious links, unknown attachments and fraudulent websites. These remain important cybersecurity practices.
An international investigation has revealed a new threat in the form of spyware delivered through online advertisements, according to a recent report by Citizen Lab, a research group at the University of Toronto. The study, titled "Exposing AdFection: How Discover-Tech Turned Targeted Ads Into a Pipeline for Zero-Click Mercenary Spyware," exposed Israeli advertising technology company Discover-Tech's exploitation of the global digital advertising ecosystem to facilitate surveillance.
This discovery is particularly concerning as Malaysia was identified among the countries targeted. The report highlights that users do not necessarily need to click on an advertisement for the malicious code to be delivered, as it can exploit vulnerabilities in a device's browser, application, or operating system through the automatic loading of advertising content.
This challenges the common cybersecurity assumption that avoiding suspicious links and unknown attachments is sufficient to keep individuals safe. While the presence of Malaysia in the report does not indicate widespread infection, it serves as a reminder that cybersecurity risks extend beyond traditional threats, affecting areas such as digital banking, e-government services, online healthcare, education, and mobile applications.
Brief written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
