Ethical Hacking News
Israeli firm Discover-Tech has been found to be sending spyware through online ads, leaving experts and lawmakers scrambling to address the growing threat of online spying. The company's platform, Controlium, allows its spyware partners to target and infect devices with precision, raising concerns about online security and the need for greater oversight of the advertising industry.
Israeli firm Discover-Tech has been found to be sending spyware through online ads via its platform Controlium. Users can be infected with spyware by simply viewing an online ad, without taking any action. Discover-Tech had worked with blacklisted spyware company Candiru to deliver Candiru-linked spyware to Al Jazeera. Google and Beeswax have removed Discover-Tech from their platforms, while IAB Europe suspended it. Lawmakers are calling on the advertising industry to increase security and regulators to review regulations.
A recent investigation by security researchers at Citizen Lab and Confiant has uncovered a shocking plot by an Israeli firm to send spyware through online ads. The firm, called Discover-Tech, has been working with a number of spyware companies, including the notorious Candiru, to infect devices with malicious software. This sinister plot has left experts and lawmakers scrambling to address the growing threat of online spying.
Discover-Tech, which presents itself as a typical online advertising agency, has been operating a platform called "Controlium" that allows its spyware partners to target and infect devices with precision. The platform allows hackers to "precisely profile and de-anonymize millions of individuals, fingerprint their devices, and target them with a form of zero-click hacking," according to the investigation. This means that users may be infected with spyware simply by viewing an online ad, without even taking any action.
The investigation also revealed that Discover-Tech had worked with Candiru, a blacklisted Israeli spyware company, to deliver Candiru-linked spyware to Al Jazeera, a Qatar-based news network. Researchers say that the companies targeted "at least" 45 devices at the news outlet in 2024 and 2025.
The implications of this discovery are far-reaching and alarming. Online security experts warn that users at high risk of targeting should use ad blockers, disable ad tracking, and regularly reset mobile ad IDs to minimize their risk of infection. Google and the Comcast-owned advertising company Beeswax have since removed Discover-Tech from their platforms, while IAB Europe suspended the company from its list of approved vendors.
Lawmakers are also taking action, calling on the advertising industry to ramp up security on their platforms. The discovery has also raised questions about the effectiveness of current regulations and the need for greater oversight of the online advertising industry.
As the online world continues to evolve, it is essential that users are aware of the potential risks and take steps to protect themselves. The case of Discover-Tech serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of online spying and the need for greater vigilance in the face of emerging threats.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/An-Israeli-Firms-Sneaky-Spying-Methods-Exposed-A-Threat-to-Online-Security-ehn.shtml
https://www.theverge.com/tech/1011956/discover-tech-zero-click-ads-spyware
Published: Thu Oct 15 14:47:01 2026 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
