Israeli ad-tech firm helped place spyware on Al Jazeera devices
A Citizen Lab investigation revealed that Israeli firm Discover-Tech facilitated the placement of spyware on Al Jazeera staff devices. The malware, linked to the blacklisted company Candiru, utilized a 'zero-click' advertising exploit to harvest sensitive data.
Why it matters
This incident highlights the growing threat of commercial spyware targeting journalists and the ongoing debate regarding the regulation of the surveillance technology industry.
Citizen Lab investigation says dozens of Al Jazeera devices were infected by malware planted through advertisements.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Al Jazeera says it will continue to take appropriate measures to protect staff and systems after an attempt to spy on employees [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera] By Al Jazeera Staff Published On 15 Oct 2026 15 Oct 2026 Israeli advertising technology company Discover-Tech helped place spyware on dozens of devices used by Al Jazeera and other companies.
Al Jazeera Media Network on Thursday said it “condemns the spyware attacks targeting a number of its staff” and pledged to continue to “protect its employees and systems”.
The network said targeting journalists is an “assault on press freedom” and called for those responsible to be held accountable.
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