Security researchers have discovered the Chinese app, called VidMate, hijacks smartphones by running invisible ads, subscribing users' to paid apps without their consent and exposing personal data. As a result, it eats up users' data allowance and costs them money. Upstream researchers blocked over 128 million malicious mobile transactions that were attempted by the VidMate app on 4.8 million devices. Although it is an Android app, VidMate isn't listed on the Google Play Store, but it can be downloaded through third-party app stores like CNET's Download.com. In addition to hidden ads, VidMate also signs users up for paid services without their consent.

Source: Daily Mail May 20, 2019 17:48 UTC