Mobile ads can hijack your phone and steal your contacts

Airpush is one of several aggressive mobile ad networks that disguise ads as notifications or apps, and take contact information without users's permission.

Tens of thousands of smartphone apps are running ads from rogue advertising networks that change smartphone settings and take contact information without permission, according to a new study released Monday.

Aggressive ad networks can disguise ads as text message notifications or app icons, and sometimes change browser settings and bookmarks. Often, the ads will upload your contacts list to the ad network's servers -- information the ad network can then sell to marketers

Via - cnn