IsraelCitizen Lab found ads targeted 45 Al Jazeera devices with spyware.
Government networks in at least 24 countries were also targeted, the researchers found.
Ad network Discover-Tech used auction data on each target’s device and location to win their ad slot, then redirected them to Candiru’s server.
Analyst Eddy Willems says breaking out of the browser sandbox may need a second vulnerability.
Security firm Confiant saw Discover-Tech ads on Pentagon and International Criminal Court networks, but infection there is unconfirmed.
How each outlet framed it
drawn from 100+ reports worldwide
- Al Jazeera Online leans critical
- shows the spyware reached Al Jazeera's own staff, with 45 devices hit in June 2025 and the Citizen Lab probe prompted by the outlet's internal review
Sources: Al Jazeera Online