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Predator spyware uses new infection vector for zero-click attacks
The Predator spyware from surveillance company Intellexa has been using a zero-click infection mechanism dubbed “Aladdin,” which compromised specific targets by simply viewing a malicious advertisement. This powerful and previously unknown infection vector is meticulously hidden behind shell companies spread across multiple countries, now uncovered in a new joint investigation by Inside Story, Haaretz, and WAV Research Collective. […]
Google nukes 224 Android malware apps behind massive ad fraud campaign
A massive Android ad fraud operation dubbed “SlopAds” was disrupted after 224 malicious applications on Google Play were used to generate 2.3 billion ad requests per day. The ad fraud campaign was discovered by HUMAN’s Satori Threat Intelligence team, which reported that the apps were downloaded over 38 million times and employed obfuscation and steganography to conceal the […]
France slaps Google with €325M fine for violating cookie regulations
The French data protection authority has fined Google €325 million ($378 million) for violating cookie regulations and displaying ads between Gmail users’ emails without their consent. During several investigations between 2022 and 2023, the National Commission on Informatics and Liberty (CNIL) found that Google’s Gmail email service displayed advertisements in the “Promotions” and “Social” tabs without the […]
Google blocked over 5 billion ads in 2024 amid rise in AI-powered scams
Google blocked 5.1 billion ads and suspended more than 39.2 million advertiser accounts in 2024, according to its 2024 Ads Safety Report released this week. The company says the increasing enforcement activity is caused by the growing threat of AI-generated content, impersonation scams, and abuse of its ad platform. In particular, Google highlighted the use of generative […]
Microsoft tests ad-supported Office apps for Windows users
Microsoft has released ad-supported versions of its Office desktop apps, which have limited features but allow Windows users to edit their documents. While Microsoft allows customers to use Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other Microsoft 365 apps for free with Office on the web, the company has not shared any information regarding these new ad-supported Office apps for […]