Ad blocker is an effective tool against government spyware: report

Documents obtained by Israeli news outlet Haaretz revealed that in 2022, Intellexa, a European firm behind the Predator spyware which is equipped to gain access to a target's phone contents in real time, showcased a proof-of-concept system called Aladdin, designed to disseminate phone spyware via online ads. Haaretz reported that the Aladdin system targeted graphic designers and activists under the guise of job offers, demonstrating how the spyware infiltrates devices. However, the status of Aladdin's development and whether it was sold to government entities remains unclear.

In response to the Haaretz report regarding the spyware, John Scott-Railton, a Citizen Lab senior researcher investigating government spyware, tweeted, "Everyone should block ads. It's a matter of safety."

Another Israeli company, Insanet, reportedly succeeded in developing an ad-based infection system capable of pinpointing individuals within an advertising network, as per Haaretz's findings last year. While online ads serve as a revenue source for website owners, they can be exploited to distribute malicious code to a target's device.

Recent report made by Techcrunch, an American online newspaper, shed light on how spyware producers are using web advertisements to support government surveillance, highlighting the surprising role that ad blockers play as a defence against malware. Spyware manufacturers reportedly possess the capability to pinpoint and discreetly infect specific targets with spyware through banner ads.

Malvertising, the term for delivering malware through malicious ads, involves injecting harmful code into ads displayed on websites accessed via browsers on computers and phones. Many of these attacks rely on user interaction, such as clicking a link or opening a file.

The widespread use of online advertising provides government clients a broad reach to covertly target people, including opponents, using stealthy spyware.

Although no device is entirely immune to hacking, ad blockers, which prevent ads from displaying in web browsers, can effectively prevent malvertising and ad-based malware from reaching browsers. Ad blockers actively block websites from loading ads. This not only conceals ads but also prevents ad exchanges from tracking user browsing activity. Ad-blocking software is available for mobile devices as well.

Security experts have long recommended using ad blockers as a precaution against malvertising attacks. In 2022, the FBI advised the public to use ad blockers for online safety precaution in a public service announcement.