ASSESSED// Citizen Lab 2026v1.0
AdFection vs Other Spyware Delivery Methods
A comparison matrix of AdFection against other spyware delivery methods — one-click phishing, messaging zero-click, watering holes, network injection, physical installation, and traditional malvertising — across interaction, channel, precision, scalability, stealth, and detectability.
- Published
- 2026-10-15
- Last reviewed
- 2026-10-18
- Last updated
- 2026-10-18
- Evidence
- ASSESSED
| Method | Victim interaction | Delivery channel | Target precision | Scalability | Stealth | Detectability | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AdFection | None (zero-click) | Targeted ads | Very high | High | High | Medium | Candiru / Al Jazeera |
| Malicious link (one-click) | Click | Phishing link | Medium | Medium | Low | High | Common phishing |
| Messaging zero-click | None | Message receipt | High | Medium | Medium | Medium | Pegasus zero-click |
| Watering hole | None / browse | Compromised site | Medium | Medium | Medium | Medium | Targeted APT |
| Network injection | None | Network position | Medium | Low | High | Low | ISP-level actors |
| Physical installation | Physical access | Device | Very high | Low | Low | Low | Insider / seizure |
| Traditional malvertising | None / browse | Ads (untargeted) | Low | High | Low | High | Mass malvertising |
Last updated 2026-10-18
