citizen lab2 articles
How a Dodgy Israeli Ad Firm Became a Zero-Click Spyware Delivery Machine
Israeli advertising firm Discover-Tech allegedly operated as a front for delivering Candiru spyware through the online advertising ecosystem, in a campaign dubbed AdFection uncovered by Citizen Lab. The firm's Controlium platform exploited Real-Time Bidding ad auctions to de-anonymize, fingerprint, and infect users with zero-click spyware, targeting at least 45 devices at Al Jazeera between 2024 and 2025. Following Citizen Lab's findings, Google, IAB Europe, and other ad platforms removed or blocked Discover-Tech from their networks, with Citizen Lab recommending that defenders block targeted ads at the gateway as the most effective protection.
The MEP Investigating Pegasus Got Hacked With Pegasus. Yes, Really.
Citizen Lab researchers have revealed that Stelios Kouloglou, a former Member of the European Parliament who served on a committee investigating spyware abuse, had his iPhone repeatedly hacked with Pegasus spyware during his tenure in 2022 and 2023. Forensic analysis found the attacks exploited a zero-click vulnerability in Apple's HomeKit software, potentially giving attackers access to confidential documents and committee deliberations. While no specific government has been attributed responsibility, Citizen Lab identified an overlap with a separate campaign targeting Russian and Belarusian-speaking journalists and activists in Europe, suggesting a Pegasus operator licensed to conduct surveillance across multiple EU countries was likely responsible.