ABC Wipes Staff Devices After Malicious Ad Campaign

The broadcaster took proactive measures after devices were exposed to spyware through online advertising platforms.

Updated on Oct. 23, 2026 in Cybersecurity

Isometric editorial illustration of industrial ventilation panels and modular server racks in deep teal and slate blue. — The ABC wiped select staff devices after a malicious advertising campaign targeted Australian media and infrastructure sectors for potential spyware exposure. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you trust that your personal devices are sufficiently protected from risks posed by online advertising?

The ABC has wiped a small number of staff devices following exposure to a sophisticated malicious advertising campaign known as Adfection. While the broadcaster identified these threats, there is no evidence that any device was successfully compromised or infected with spyware.

Why it matters

The Adfection campaign exploits existing digital advertising infrastructure to deliver spyware to devices simply by a user viewing an ad, bypassing the need for a click. This method allows attackers to target and potentially track sensitive government, infrastructure, and media networks.

The Adfection campaign utilizes digital advertising platforms to distribute spyware without requiring a user to click on an advertisement. Researchers confirmed this method successfully infected devices at Al Jazeera while also targeting over two dozen Australian entities.

The players

The ABC

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation is the national public broadcaster that provides news, entertainment, and educational programming to the country.

The Citizen Lab

This interdisciplinary laboratory is based at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy at the University of Toronto and focuses on advanced research in digital security.

ANSTO

The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation is the national agency responsible for nuclear research and operating the OPAL multi-purpose reactor.

Al Jazeera

This international news organisation is headquartered in Doha, Qatar, and operates a global network of television channels and digital platforms.

Discover-Tech

This entity is identified by researchers as the organisation responsible for exploiting digital advertising platforms to facilitate the delivery of spyware.

The details

Researchers at The Citizen Lab identified the Adfection cluster, which has specifically targeted Australian government, infrastructure, and media sectors. While ANSTO was flagged as a location with a high concentration of these malicious ad impressions, the facility reported no impacts.

The Citizen Lab revealed the Adfection campaign during the week of 16 October 2026.
ANSTO reported no impacts from the attack during the week of 20 October 2026.
The ABC reported the cyber attack exposure on 23 October 2026.

The Tech Race

The Adfection campaign represents a significant shift in the cyber landscape by automating the delivery of spyware through standard web advertising infrastructure. This technique replaces legacy phishing attempts that relied on user interaction with a zero-click infection model.

While the ABC proactively secured its devices, the campaign highlights the risks inherent in standard online browsing where malicious ads can trigger infections without a click. Users are encouraged to maintain updated security software to help defend against these passive delivery methods.

The takeaway

This incident demonstrates that even passive interaction with online advertisements can pose significant security risks to institutional networks. Organisations should prioritise advanced network monitoring and automated device hygiene to mitigate the threat of zero-click infections.