Security Analyst / Ad Fraud Researcher

Pixalate is looking for a skilled Security Analyst / Ad Fraud Researcher to join its Threat Research team remotely from Lahore, Pakistan. In this role, you will focus on uncovering and analyzing fraudulent activities targeting mobile apps and Connected TV (CTV) platforms. By applying malware threat research techniques to ad fraud, you will collect and dissect samples, develop detection methods, and share insights with the industry. Your efforts will enhance Pixalate’s MRC-accredited invalid traffic detection systems and contribute to public research on mobile and CTV supply-chain risks. Collaboration with Data Science, Engineering, and Product teams is a key part of this position.

Key Responsibilities
- Analyze Android and iOS apps (APKs/IPAs) to detect mobile ad fraud tactics such as hidden ads, ad stacking, click injection, SDK spoofing, background ad loading, and malicious ad SDKs.
- Investigate CTV fraud including SSAI spoofing, device and app-bundle spoofing, emulator/server-side bot traffic, and identification of fake CTV inventory sold programmatically.
- Perform reverse engineering through static and dynamic analysis to understand fraudulent app, SDK, and botnet behaviors, documenting their traffic signatures.
- Develop detection logic by creating rules, signatures, and indicators for Pixalate’s GIVT and SIVT pipelines, validating these against large-scale impression-level data.
- Trace fraud through the ad supply chain by analyzing app-ads.txt, sellers.json, SupplyChain objects, and bid-stream data to identify involved resellers and publishers.
- Monitor and track threat actors by linking fraud campaigns to infrastructure and surveilling underground forums and app stores for new fraudulent schemes.
- Publish research findings via blog posts, threat reports, and briefs; represent Pixalate at industry events, webinars, and in communications with press and clients.
- Support Customer Success and Sales teams by explaining research findings to advertisers, DSPs, SSPs, and platforms, and assisting with escalated investigations.

Required Qualifications
- At least 5 years of experience in threat research, malware analysis, or security analysis within a security vendor, SOC, or research lab environment.
- Proficiency in malware analysis techniques including sandboxing, static and dynamic analysis, and interpreting decompiled or obfuscated code.
- Strong knowledge of Android internals and app analysis tools such as jadx, apktool, Frida, MobSF, and Ghidra.
- Experience with network traffic analysis tools like Wireshark, mitmproxy, and Burp, with the ability to detect automated or anomalous traffic patterns.
- Competency in SQL and at least one scripting language (e.g., Python) for analyzing large datasets.
- Demonstrated ability to translate research into actionable product intelligence, including signatures, blocklists, classifiers, or detection rules.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, supported by published blogs, reports, or presentations tailored to both technical and business audiences.

Preferred Qualifications and Additional Information
- Familiarity with ad tech protocols and platforms such as OpenRTB, VAST/VPAID, SSAI, DSPs, and SSPs.
- Understanding of industry standards including MRC IVT Guidelines, TAG, and IAB Tech Lab specifications like app-ads.txt, sellers.json, and SupplyChain objects.
- Knowledge of CTV platforms such as Roku, Fire TV, Android TV, Samsung Tizen, or LG webOS.
- Background in researching ransomware, botnets, phishing, or cryptojacking, and insight into how these infrastructures are leveraged for ad fraud.
- Experience with threat intelligence tools such as YARA, VirusTotal, passive DNS, and OSINT techniques.
- A public research profile featuring named threat reports, recurring webinars, or media commentary is highly valued.

Pixalate is a leading online trust and safety platform dedicated to protecting businesses, consumers, and children from deceptive, fraudulent, and non-compliant mobile and CTV apps and websites. Our technology and data have played a crucial role in exposing numerous high-profile criminal and illegal surveillance cases, earning coverage from major media outlets. Our diverse global team includes lawyers, data scientists, engineers, economists, and researchers working from locations such as California, New York, Washington DC, London, and Singapore.