Kaspersky Warns that Digital Advertising Platforms are Becoming New Tool for Cybercriminals
Kaspersky has recently cautioned about cybercriminals exploiting the digital advertising platform to identify, track and target individuals, raising concerns about the security risks associated with online advertising.
The company said the same advertising technology (AdTech) used by businesses to deliver personalized adverts can also provide valuable intelligence to cybercriminals and advanced persistent threat (APT) groups. Through advertising platforms, real-time bidding (RTB) systems and data broker networks, attackers can gather information such as users’ browsing habits, device details and approximate location to build profiles of potential targets.
According to Kaspersky, the information collected for targeted advertising can be used to monitor individuals and, in some cases, facilitate highly targeted cyberattacks, including so-called “zero-click” spyware attacks that require little or no user interaction.
The warning comes as online advertising continues to rely on the processing of billions of advertising requests each day, with user data passing through multiple intermediaries before advertisements are delivered.
The company also indicated the growing threat posed by certain forms of adware. While adware is often associated with privacy concerns because it collects user information, some variants can redirect users to malicious websites that distribute malware.
In Kenya, Kaspersky said it blocked about 320,000 attempts to redirect users to malicious content during the first half of 2026, highlighting the continued use of advertising-related techniques by cybercriminals.
“The advertising ecosystem was built to deliver the right message to the right person at the right time. Unfortunately, those same capabilities can be abused by sophisticated threat actors,” said Maher Yamout, Lead Security Researcher at Kaspersky’s Global Research and Analysis Team.
However, Kaspersky advise users to keep their devices and applications updated, carefully review app permissions and use trusted security software to reduce their exposure.
For organizations, the company recommended adopting a layered cybersecurity strategy that includes Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solutions, dedicated anti-targeted attack platforms and threat intelligence services to identify emerging attacker infrastructure, tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs).
Download the free Kaspersky SMB Cybersecurity Guide here to learn how businesses can move beyond traditional antivirus and build a more resilient approach to cybersecurity.
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