October 17, 2026
A joint security investigation conducted by researchers from the “Citizen Lab” laboratory and the “Confiant” company revealed the involvement of the Israeli digital advertising company “Discover-Tech” in cooperation with companies developing spyware, to carry out cyber attacks that targeted users’ devices through targeted electronic advertisements, without the need for any click or interaction from the victim, in a development that is the first of its kind to be monitored technically using this mechanism.
The investigation revealed that the Israeli company, which appears publicly as a traditional digital advertising agency, operates a platform known as “Controlium” that allows its partners to identify millions of users, collect their device data, and carry out “zero-click attacks.” The platform relies on data including Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, advertising identifiers, and browser identifiers to accurately track targets.
The results revealed close cooperation between Discover-Tech and the Israeli company Candiru, which specializes in spyware and is blacklisted by the US government. Advertisements linked to Discover-Tech were used during 2024 and 2025 in attacks targeting at least 45 devices belonging to the Qatari Al Jazeera Media Network through the deployment of “Candiru” software.
These discoveries highlight the dangers of exploiting the global digital advertising system for espionage purposes and penetrating institutions and individuals without the need for suspicious links or malicious files.
In technical reactions, Reuters reported that Google and Beeswax (a subsidiary of the Comcast group) removed Discover-Tech from their platforms, while IAB Europe suspended the company’s inclusion in its list of approved suppliers.
In the wake of this, researchers called on digital advertising companies to tighten monitoring and examination procedures to prevent their platforms from being exploited in cyberattacks. They also advised vulnerable users to activate ad-blocking tools, disable tracking, and reset advertising identifiers on smartphones regularly to reduce the risks of tracking and targeting.
