# Senators Urge Targeted Ad Safeguards

A Citizen Lab investigation linked targeted digital advertising to the delivery of zero-click spyware, leading Senators Ron Wyden and Cory Booker to call for stronger protections. Advertising industry representatives disputed that the findings demonstrate a breakdown in ad infrastructure. Federal agencies have already blocked or recommended blocking ads in some environments, creating a potential security consideration for contractors that support government browsers, devices, and cybersecurity operations.

- Contractors supporting government IT and security environments should assess how targeted ads, mobile ad identifiers, and ad-tech supply chains affect the systems and services they provide.
- Procurement teams may need to account for ad controls and ad-tech supply-chain due diligence when defining security expectations for browser, device, and cybersecurity support. The signal identifies no new mandate, solicitation, contract value, or deadline.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Information Technology, Defense & Military
**Topics:** Cybersecurity, Digital Infrastructure
**Published:** October 23, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Senate
- U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)
- Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
- National Security Agency (NSA)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

### Vendors
- Discover-Tech (Ad-tech company linked to the AdFection spyware-delivery technique)
- Google (Advertising platform that removed Discover-Tech's access)
- Microsoft (Xandr) (Owner of an advertising system identified in the investigation)
- Confiant (Cybersecurity and ad-tech firm that partnered on the investigation)

### Key Quotes
> Americans need vastly stronger privacy protections that stay ahead of these evolving surveillance threats.
> — Cory Booker, U.S. Senator

> Allowing targeted ads on government devices is an open invitation to spies and criminals. It’s the digital equivalent of leaving all the doors and windows unlocked at a sensitive government facility.
> — Ron Wyden, U.S. Senator

### Sources
- [Senators say targeted ads are a security risk. Ad groups say the critics are off base. | CyberScoop](https://cyberscoop.com/targeted-ads-spyware-government-threat) - CyberScoop