Citizen Lab and Confiant report that an Israeli advertising agency used its network to track users and facilitate the deployment of spyware.
Key facts
- •Discover-Tech’s ads provided access to advertising platforms operated by Google, Comcast, and Yandex.
- •The firm used data-sharing arrangements known as cookie matching to track individuals beyond its own advertisements.
- •Citizen Lab identified 45 compromised Windows devices at Al Jazeera between 2024 and 2025.
- •Confiant stated that ads linked to Candiru represented a small fraction of Discover-Tech's total advertising volume.
- •The ads reached more than 120,000 websites and 75,000 mobile applications.
The Israeli digital advertising agency Discover-Tech allegedly exploited its online ad network to track internet users and assist in hacking their devices, according to reports from Citizen Lab and Confiant. Researchers stated that the firm's services provided surveillance companies, including the U.S.-blacklisted Candiru, access to major advertising platforms.
By the numbers
Spyware Targeting Al Jazeera
Citizen Lab reported that Candiru spyware, delivered through Discover-Tech advertisements, compromised 45 Windows devices at the Qatari broadcaster Al Jazeera between 2024 and 2025. The research group confirmed these findings after reviewing network logs provided by the media organization. Al Jazeera stated it is taking measures to protect its systems and staff, while calling for accountability for those responsible for the attacks.
Scope of Advertising Network
Discover-Tech’s advertisements reached over 120,000 websites and 75,000 applications. According to Confiant cofounder Jerome Dangu, the firm generated at least 10 million ads daily. Researchers noted that the ads could track users simply by loading on a page, and in some instances, the firm attempted to extract phone numbers from smartphone users.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Haaretz.
