Ad blockers are emerging as an unexpected but useful tool in the war against spyware, particularly in light of recent studies that show malware producers using web adverts to assist government surveillance. Spyware businesses have been caught using banner adverts to secretly infect specific people with dangerous software. One such company, Intellexa, a European startup, has created the Predator malware, which can access all data on a target's smartphone in real time. According to Haaretz, an Isreali news outlet, Intellexa debuted a prototype device called Aladdin in 2022, illustrating how spyware can be installed through web adverts. The system targeted individuals with personalized job offers in advertising, which may compromise their devices. The extent of Aladdin's deployment is unknown.
According to Haaretz, another Israeli startup, Insanet, has successfully developed a system that detects persons within an ad network and deploys spyware. While internet advertising is an important source of money for many websites, they can also be used to send malicious code. Malvertising, or the technique of embedding malware in advertisements, frequently requires user input to infect devices, yet it remains a substantial danger due to the prevalence of internet adverts.
Although it is hard to totally protect phones and computers from hacking, ad blocks can greatly reduce the risk of malvertising and ad-driven malware by preventing advertising from loading in browsers. This not only guards against malware, but it also improves privacy by preventing tracking codes used by ad networks. Ad-blocking software is frequently recommended by security experts and is available for both desktop and mobile browsers. In light of these concerns, organizations such as the FBI have urged for the usage of ad blockers as a precaution in digital security.
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