Citizen Lab links Israeli ad firm Discover-Tech to zero-click spyware deployed via online ads
University of Toronto's Citizen Lab reports that Discover-Tech, an Israeli digital advertising agency, runs a platform called Controlium that profiles and deanonymises internet users through ordinary-looking ads, then enables third-party spyware firms to silently infect selected targets' devices without any click. Researchers say dozens of devices at Al Jazeera were compromised this way, and that millions of users worldwide have been served Discover-Tech ads since 2024, including in Yemen, Brazil, Mexico and Czechia.