Foreign spyware targets Australia's nuclear agency via malicious ads

Australia's nuclear science agency and other sensitive government bodies were targeted by a foreign actor that weaponized online ads to install spyware, according to researchers at The Citizen Lab. The Israel-based company Discover-Tech exploited digital advertising to profile millions of devices and infect some with zero-click spyware, including networks belonging to ANSTO. ANSTO said it found no impact to its systems, while Google removed the company after findings were shared. The report verified infections at Al Jazeera and noted targets across defence forces, NATO, and Australian media. Experts say the case reveals how ad technology can be abused, raising questions about oversight of digital advertising ecosystems.