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Zero-click spyware found riding in on targeted ads
Researchers at The Citizen Lab released the first technical evidence of mercenary spyware distributed through online advertising, which infects phones with no click needed; so much for just ignoring ads.
On air: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on BBN This MorningPublished
Photo: Coolcaesar · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBNWatch it as it aired: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on this story, from BBN This Morning at 6:21 AM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are Wired's, the jokes are ours.
At a glance
- First reported by Wired: “‘Nightmare Scenario’: Zero-Click Spyware Is Infecting Phones via Targeted Ads”.
- Covered on BBN on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at 6:21 AM ET on BBN This Morning, by Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield.
The real story
The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.
What BBN said about it
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentResearchers at The Citizen Lab say mercenary spyware has now been spread through online ads, and you don't have to click anything to get infected.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentSo the ad just shows up and does everything itself? That's the first ad that ever worked.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentIt is a nightmare scenario, and your only defense used to be not clicking.
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Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Kucharek assumed… · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
Photo: Richard Ling <wikipedia@rling.com> · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 3.0
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From the archive: everything BBN aired on Thursday, October 15, 2026 · the Tech archive · all months
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