Citizen Lab Links Israeli Ad Firm to Zero-Click Spyware Attacks

Citizen Lab published research on October 15 linking Israel-based Discover-Tech to advertisements that could deliver Candiru spyware when displayed, without a user clicking. The University of Toronto research group calls the method AdFection and said at least 45 devices at Al Jazeera were targeted during 2024 and 2025. Its analysis of nearly four billion advertising-bidding records found Discover-Tech ads on more than 70,000 mobile apps and 120,000 websites between March and June 2026. Those totals describe advertising exposure, rather than confirmed infections. Citizen Lab said Candiru, now branded Integrity Labs, did not answer its request for comment by the deadline.