Israeli firm uses online ads to track users, deliver spyware worldwide: Report

Discover-Tech provided Israeli spyware company Candiru and other surveillance firms with access to advertising networks operated by major technology companies, including Google, Comcast subsidiary Beeswax and Russia's Yandex, according to researchers at the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab and New York-based advertising security firm Confiant.

Some operations also sought to obtain phone numbers from smartphone users.

Citizen Lab said the infrastructure could be used to deliver zero-click spyware, potentially compromising devices without requiring any action from their owners.

The organization described its findings as the first public technical confirmation of mercenary spyware being delivered through targeted online advertising.

Ads detected across government, international networks

"Very likely hundreds of millions of people would have been touched by Discover-Tech," Dangu said.

Dangu told Reuters that Discover-Tech's advertising activity was particularly extensive in the Palestinian territories.

"You go to almost any site in Palestine—any site—you find a Discover-Tech ad. It gives them a very complete visibility on the digital activities of an entire country," he said.

Al Jazeera devices infected with Candiru spyware

Citizen Lab said Discover-Tech's advertising infrastructure was used to deliver spyware developed by Candiru to 45 Windows devices at Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera between 2024 and 2025.

Researchers confirmed the infections after Al Jazeera provided network logs for analysis.

Candiru, which has since rebranded as Integrity Labs, was placed on a U.S. Commerce Department blacklist in 2021 over allegations that its spyware had been used to target government officials, journalists, activists and academics.

Citizen Lab also identified connections between Discover-Tech and other surveillance and hacking companies, including Bindecy and Intelos.

Discover-Tech did not respond to Reuters' requests for . Attempts to Candiru's owners were also unsuccessful, the news agency reported.

Google, advertising firms move against company

Several technology companies and advertising industry organizations have taken action against Discover-Tech following the investigations, Reuters reported.

Google said it cooperated with Citizen Lab and Confiant before removing Discover-Tech from its advertising platforms over what it described as systematic violations of its policies.

IAB Europe, an industry association representing the digital advertising sector, suspended Discover-Tech from its list of approved vendors after an audit identified policy violations.

Comcast's advertising technology subsidiary Beeswax also removed the company from its platform following recent activity.

Yandex did not respond to Reuters' request for .

The findings raise broader concerns how information gathered through online advertising systems can be exploited for surveillance and intelligence operations.