Zero-click spyware infects phones via targeted ads
The gist
Citizen Lab says ads delivered zero-click spyware to at least 45 Al Jazeera devices.
The finding suggests ad networks can be a stealthy delivery system for mercenary spyware.
How it unfolded
- 2020Discover-Tech was registered.
- 2021The U.S. Commerce Department added Candiru to its Entity List, saying foreign governments had used its software to target journalists, activists and government officials; the US government sanctioned Candiru.
- 2024 -2025Citizen Lab concluded that 45 devices belonging to Al Jazeera were targeted with zero-click attacks delivered by ads, which researchers link with 'high confidence' to Candiru spyware.