Citizen Lab reports that the AdFection spyware leverages global online advertising networks and real-time bidding systems to deliver payloads with zero user interaction.
The investigation details how Discover-Tech utilized malicious code hidden within ads across thousands of websites and popular applications, impacting high-profile targets before Google suspended the firm from its ad ecosystem.
The technology was developed by Israeli company Discover-Tech. Targets included journalists, Al Jazeera staff, and executives from organizations including NATO, the European Commission, NVIDIA, and Arm. Discover-Tech used automated real-time ad auction systems to track and identify users before sending them malicious code hidden within innocent ads.
The scale of distribution
The company allegedly served 442 million ads on more than 120.000 websites, including the BBC and the New York Times, as well as popular mobile apps like Duolingo, Badoo and Grindr. The ads appeared on devices used by military services, governments, critical infrastructure operators and national cybersecurity agencies.
The reaction of the platforms
Following a joint investigation with Citizen Lab and Confiant, Google banned Discover-Tech from its advertising platforms. At the same time, Citizen Lab researchers found login files on Discover-Tech’s website belonging to employees of another well-known spyware company, Candiru.
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