ABC wipes staff devices after exposure to spyware-linked ads
The broadcaster says it has found no evidence of compromise, while researchers say more than two dozen Australian organisations were targeted.
By Quang Dinh
The ABC is wiping staff devices as a precaution after some displayed advertisements linked to a spyware operation. The broadcaster said it had found no evidence that the devices were compromised or that staff had been identified or tracked.
Researchers at Canada's Citizen Lab said the campaign, which they named Adfection, targeted more than two dozen Australian organisations across government, critical infrastructure, universities and media. The ABC confirmed that a small number of its devices had displayed ads from the network and said those remaining in service were being wiped.
Citizen Lab said Israel-based Discover-Tech had exploited online advertising systems, including technology operated by Google, to deliver spyware. The researchers said viewing an advertisement could be enough to infect a device, without the user clicking it.
The researchers confirmed the technique had infected devices at international broadcaster Al Jazeera with spyware made by another Israeli company, Candiru. They said the advertising method could also profile devices even when infection failed, potentially revealing identities and browsing habits.
ANSTO, Australia's nuclear science agency, stood out in the researchers' data for the volume of malicious advertisements displayed. An ANSTO spokesperson said it had detected no impacts. The Australian Signals Directorate declined to comment.
