# Citizen Lab: Spyware Makers Are Using Online Ads to Deliver Zero-Click Attacks

*2026-10-15 14:00 UTC · Technology · 1 min read*

> Citizen Lab says an Israeli ad firm bridged ad networks and spyware vendors Candiru and Bindecy, in the first confirmed zero-click, government-backed spyware delivered through ads.

The Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto reports that government spyware makers are abusing global ad networks to infect devices without any click. Working with ad-quality firm Confiant, researchers traced the activity to Israeli company Discover-Tech, whose Controlium platform lets customers target specific people or devices almost anywhere. Spyware vendors Candiru and Bindecy used it.

At least 45 Windows computers at Al Jazeera were apparently compromised in 2024 and 2025. Exposed bidding records showed ads running across tens of thousands of apps and websites between March and June 2026, including on devices used by militaries, governments and cyber agencies. Confiant also found potentially malicious ads on International Atomic Energy Agency and International Criminal Court networks, though it is unclear whether any led to compromise.

Citizen Lab calls it the first confirmed case of zero-click, government-backed spyware delivered through online ads, and researcher Bill Marczak says Discover-Tech is "surely just the tip of the iceberg." It is not clear which governments are behind the attacks. At-risk users are advised to disable ad tracking or block ads.

## Sources

- [techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/15/citizen-lab-says-governments-are-abusing-online-ads-to-hack-people-with-zero-click-spyware/)

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TechTools News · https://techtools.cz/tools/news/article/2522-citizen-lab-spyware-makers-are-using-online-ads-to-deliver-zero-click-attacks
Česká verze: https://techtools.cz/tools/news/clanek/2596-citizen-lab-vyrobci-spywaru-vyuzivaji-online-reklamy-k-utokum-bez-kliknuti