{
  "id": 14701920,
  "title": "Israeli firm's digital ads enabling installation of 'zero-click' spyware",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/israeli-firms-digital-ads-enabling-installation-of-zero-click-spyware-14701920",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-15T12:58:32.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hacker News",
    "slug": "hacker-news",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/oct/15/israeli-firm-digital-ads-enabling-installation-of-zero-click-spyware-researchers-say"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Israeli advertising firm Discover-Tech has developed software that allows clients to install \"zero-click\" spyware on unsuspecting internet users, according to researchers at the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab. The software, named Controlium, enables mass-profiling and deanonymization of users, making it possible to covertly infect targets with spyware without any interaction from the victim. Citizen Lab's research suggests that Discover-Tech has been serving millions of targeted ads since 2024, including in countries like Yemen, Brazil, Mexico, and Czechia. The spyware, delivered through these ads, can access all data on a device, including messages, photos, emails, and call recordings. The researchers warn that the online advertising ecosystem has been weaponized to profile users and silently infect targets, posing a significant security threat to states, businesses, and individuals.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": "https://urgent.news/ill/14701920.png",
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Al-Monitor",
        "title": "Israeli firm used online ads to run vast spy operation, researchers say",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/israeli-firm-used-online-ads-to-run-vast-spy-operation-researchers-say",
        "published": "2026-10-15T10:46:30.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Politico EU",
        "title": "Millions of phones exposed to Israeli spyware operation through online ads, researchers say",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/millions-of-phones-exposed-to-israeli-spyware-operation-through",
        "published": "2026-10-15T11:45:37.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Guardian Business",
        "title": "Israeli firm’s digital ads enabling installation of ‘zero-click’ spyware, researchers say",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/israeli-firms-digital-ads-enabling-installation-of-zero-click-spyware",
        "published": "2026-10-15T12:15:22.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Verge",
        "title": "An Israeli firm is sending spyware through online ads, researchers say",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/an-israeli-firm-is-sending-spyware-through-online-ads-researchers-say",
        "published": "2026-10-15T14:10:50.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}