How Israeli firm’s ‘zero-click’ malware attack poses global security risk (www.aljazeera.com)

submitted 3 days ago by arbilp3@aussie.zone to c/worldnews@aussie.zone

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[There are] structural flaws in the online advertising system, which essentially failed to detect or prevent the abuse.

Discover-Tech advertisements have popped up on devices used by personnel in national-security-sensitive networks around the world, including those of various ministries of defence, armed forces, national cyber agencies, intergovernmental organisations and media outlets, Citizen Lab found.

The research unit said these advertisements have also appeared on networks used by the United Nations, NATO, the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Council of the European Union’s General Secretariat.

Government networks have also been targeted in at least 24 countries, including the United States, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Australia, Russia, Mexico and Israel itself. Networks of media organisations have also been targeted, mainly in Australia, Denmark and Sweden, according to Citizen Lab.

In a separate report, New York-based advertising security firm Confiant said its own investigations had found that some of Discover-Tech’s advertisements also appeared in critical networks used by the Pentagon, the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency and the International Criminal Court.

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[-] Stigger32@aussie.zone 10 points 3 days ago

This is excellent news!

Why?

Because if advertising becomes a real danger to the end user. Actively blocking advertising will become essential. As it stands it’s an optional extra. And not widely used.

In the case of businesses and governments. They’ll be forced to tighten their security by baking strong ad blocking into their systems.

This can only be a win for us, end users. Who have had to deal with a tidal wave of advertising over the last decade.

Anything that forces us all to actively blocking advertising can only be a good thing.

[-] Zizzy@lemmy.blahaj.zone 7 points 3 days ago

Advertising has been a real threat to the ebd user as long as i can remember. At least 20 years. Those shitty game websites that gave your computer malware in 2008? Ads. Its always been the common vector of attack. Its always been abused.

[-] shirro@aussie.zone 6 points 3 days ago

Ad blocking is a right and a necessity. Vendors who prevent ad blocking are your enemy. Do not use their products. I know a lot of people like ad supported products as they can't afford subscriptions and so many services are over priced. Find something else to do. Ads aren't worth your time and aren't worth the risk.

[-] Stigger32@aussie.zone 3 points 3 days ago

Totally true. But people are, by and large, lazy. When not directly affected by something.

Hopefully this will inject some urgency into the issue.

this post was submitted on 16 Oct 2026

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