Israeli Spy Network: How Online Ads Became a Global Surveillance Weapon

The Discover-Tech investigation raises questions about Israel’s surveillance industry, the targeting of governments and journalists, and international law.

An investigation into Israeli digital advertising firm Discover-Tech suggests online advertisements can become surveillance tools, potentially exposing officials, journalists, diplomats and millions of internet users.

Reuters reported on October 15 that Canadian research group Citizen Lab and advertising security firm Confiant found Discover-Tech advertisements across more than 120,000 websites and 75,000 applications. Confiant estimated the company distributed at least 10 million advertisements daily and may have reached hundreds of millions of people. Exposure does not mean every user was targeted or every device compromised.

Researchers said some advertisements helped deliver spyware associated with Candiru, an Israeli surveillance company sanctioned by the United States. The allegations suggest advertising infrastructure could help operators identify targets and attempt to penetrate devices.

Israel’s surveillance industry

Israel’s technological strength rests partly on military intelligence expertise, cybersecurity research and connections between defence institutions and private technology companies. Its sector has developed capabilities in cyber operations, data analysis and surveillance software.

The Discover-Tech case allegedly exploits a system not designed as an intelligence network. Operators could potentially use advertising infrastructure embedded in everyday internet activity rather than relying only on agents or suspicious links.

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Citizen Lab described the technique as “AdFection,” reporting that targeted advertisements could direct malicious code towards selected devices without users clicking. Researchers also identified a platform called Controlium, which they said helped surveillance vendors profile users and facilitate spyware attacks.

Advertising networks connect businesses and users across borders. Their scale and reliance on third-party intermediaries can make legitimate marketing difficult to distinguish from covert surveillance.

Israeli Spy Network: From Pegasus to Candiru

The allegations follow years of controversy surrounding Israeli-developed spyware. NSO Group’s Pegasus software drew scrutiny after investigations documented suspected targeting of politicians, journalists, activists and other public figures. Pegasus can exploit mobile-device vulnerabilities, potentially exposing messages and sensitive information.

In November 2021, the US Commerce Department placed NSO Group and Candiru on its Entity List. Washington said the companies supplied spyware to foreign governments that used it to target officials, journalists, businesspeople, activists, academics and embassy personnel.

Israeli firm used online ads to run vast spy operation, researchers say

These cases do not prove Israel’s government directed every operation involving Israeli spyware, or that every Israeli technology company acts for the state. But allegations involving Israeli surveillance firms have intensified scrutiny of the country’s cyber-intelligence sector.

The latest case suggests a scalable model: operators could exploit advertising systems to reach targets across extensive digital networks.

Citizen Lab said Candiru spyware compromised 45 Windows devices at Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera between 2024 and 2025. Researchers also found Discover-Tech advertisements on networks associated with the United Nations, NATO and national governments. Their presence does not prove those systems were breached.

Does international law make this a crime?

The legal question is more complicated than asking whether spying is illegal.

Article 17 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights protects against arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy and correspondence. Unauthorised device intrusion, unlawful collection of personal information and surveillance intended to silence journalists may also violate domestic laws.

No universal United Nations criminal statute automatically makes every act of international espionage a crime. Legality depends on the conduct, applicable rules and circumstances.

The International Criminal Court prosecutes genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and aggression. It does not prosecute ordinary espionage or hacking as standalone crimes. Surveillance could be relevant if it formed part of conduct meeting the definition of an international crime and the court had jurisdiction.

The Discover-Tech findings do not themselves establish an ICC crime or prove Israeli state officials authorised the alleged operation. National authorities could investigate possible offences involving unauthorised access, data theft, privacy violations or cybersecurity laws.

The global security challenge

Google removed Discover-Tech from its advertising platforms, while IAB Europe suspended its approved-vendor status and Comcast’s advertising technology business also removed the firm. These actions expose a weakness: commercial systems can provide access to vast audiences before suspicious activity is detected.

Governments and technology companies must strengthen advertising audits, limit sharing of sensitive identifiers and hold intermediaries accountable when they facilitate malicious code delivery.

Modern espionage no longer depends on agents, intercepted calls or stolen documents. It can operate through digital advertising. When an advertisement can expose a journalist’s computer or provide access to a network, technology and intelligence infrastructure become blurred. The international community must establish safeguards before tools become instruments of surveillance.