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SnapTube Updates Are Filled with Fraudulent Malware

SnapTube is one of the most popular video downloading apps for Android, but it seems that the developers of the app had a hidden agenda, exploiting the goodwill of over 40 million users.

According to a well-known mobile security company, the app harnessed the Mango SDK to perform fraudulent transactions. Earlier in 2019 a report revealed that VidMate, another popular app, used the same SDK to commit advertising and premium subscription frauds.

Further research reveals that both apps shared traffic patterns and overlap between URLs and domain names. Secure-D, a platform that detects and prevents fraudulent transactions, blocked over 70 million potentially fraudulent transactions from SnapTube in the last six months.

It is estimated that more $90 million would have been spent on unauthorized transactions. Several tests have also shown that the app was able to collect data and send it to advertisers without alerting users. The app facilitates suspicious background activities, and this trait made it interesting for the company.

Besides contributing to background advertising click fraud, it was also easy to notice that users were signed up for premium services even when the device was locked. Since no notifications were visible, users had no idea about the activity without looking at a bank statement.

SnapTube users from Brazil, Egypt, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia appear to be prone to the risk of being plagued by illegal transactions.

Some users claimed that both VidMate and SnapTube shared similar traits, and they were right. Code analysis shows that both apps employed similar software code to perform shady tasks. It is also interesting to note that the unusual background activity observed in the case of SnapTube disappeared after a report offered conclusive evidence against VidMate.

Those who use one or both apps should uninstall them as fast as possible since they might discover that they are paying for unwanted subscriptions.

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