Zero-Click Spyware Delivered via Targeted Ads: AdFection

(citizenlab.ca)

89 points | by jcomp 4 hours ago

5 comments

  • Frieren 11 minutes ago
    Ads providers should be held responsible for delivering malware. All the tracking (that includes fingerprinting for clients that do not want to be tracked) should also be illegal.

    How is this acceptable for society goes beyond me. And then corporations blame individuals when they get scammed. It is your fault that we have all your information and leak it everywhere, when it is not just directly sold.

    And add jail time to fines. Fines means nothing for the rich.

  • fhdkweig 1 hour ago
    A later submission has more comments: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50103000 , 57 comments 1 hour ago
  • Ozzie_osman 1 hour ago
    Let me guess which country is behind this one!
  • kotaKat 52 minutes ago
    Apps should be required to disclose every single ad network they use as part of their app store disclosures. I want a lot more transparency as to where the ads are coming from inside the app itself.

    I've witnessed consumer apps throwing quite heinous malware/sketchware advertisements and watched the banners rotate between 4-5 different ad vendors to keep things hot and spicy.

    • itopaloglu83 25 minutes ago
      The incentives are lopsided, there’s so much money to be made by selling access to you and your devices, and controlling you, than just taking your money.
      • Firaxus 9 minutes ago
        Indeed, it seems there are some externalities that a 100% free market doesn’t protect against for which regulation is probably the best tool.

        A regulation here that applies to all app stores is even business friendly as an appstore which wanted to do this already wouldn’t be punished by trying to do this on their own, for the reasons you mentioned.

  • kleiba2 4 hours ago
    uBlock Origin ftw