If you're not familiar with some of today's antivirus products, you might think by reading the headline, that Justin Bieber got himself into trouble again. However here, this is not the case. The headline refers to online searches for the chart-topping "Beebs" being again the #1 bait on the Canadian chart, to lure unsuspecting fans into the hands of hackers. This is according to the 2016 McAfee Most Dangerous Celebrities Study.
The study, now in its 10th year, is named for McAfee, a company that produces products that helps protect your computers and smart phones from nasties like spyware, viruses and malware. It's published by Intel Security who research a variety of well-known figures which not only includes musicians but also actors, comedians, TV hosts, sports celebrities and more. The goal was to figure out which celebrities generate the most dangerous search results that could give innocent fans a little more than they bargained for.
You might be surprised as to who else made the list. Finishing behind Bieber on the Canadian chart for 2016 include Russell Peters, Michael Bublé and deadmau5.
Globally, some of the celebrities that grace the dangerous top 10 include: Will Smith, Rhianna, Miley Cyrus, Carson Daly, Selena Gomez. In case you're wondering which is the most dangerous celebrity to search for online, it's none other than comedian superstar Amy Schumer. In fact according to the study if you search for "Amy Schumer torrent," you have a one in three chance of connecting to a malicious website.
Bieber comes in globally at #2.
It's so easy to get excited and lose yourself for a moment when it comes to your favourite celebrity or superstar – but be careful out there; Cybercriminals are pretty savvy and ready to leverage your ongoing fascination with your faves to catch you off guard.
"Consumers today remain fascinated with celebrity culture and go online to find the latest pop culture news," said Gary Davis, chief consumer security evangelist at Intel Security. "With this craving for real-time information, many search and click without considering potential security risks. Cybercriminals know this and take advantage of this behaviour by attempting to lead one to unsafe sites loaded with malware. As a result, consumers need to understand what precautions to take to enable safe online experiences.
Cyber Security Awareness Month
October is actually Cyber Security Awareness Month and here are a few tips provided by Intel Security.
1. Think before you click. If you're looking for the latest episode of inside Amy Schumer, instead of clicking on a third-party link go to the original source like ComedyCentral.com
2. Use caution when searching for the word "Torrent". Intel advises that this is one of the most risky search terms as people are typically looking for torrents or files to download. Turns out, they might get what they're looking for, but they may end up with a little extra like malware on their computers.
3. Keep your personal information personal. Be selective when giving out personal information. Also, be skeptical particularly when you are asked for information like your credit card number, home address and even login info for your favourite social media sites. They may be just phishing and trying to find a way to steal your identity.
4. Browse with security protection like McAfee WebAdvisor software. WebAdvisor will try to keep you safe by trying to identify potentially risky sites. You can download a free version at www.mcafee.com/mcafeewebadvisor.
Infographic courtesy McAfee.
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Greg Gazin is the Real Canadian Gadget Guy, Columnist, Speaker, Podcaster & Author
Technology – Entrepreneurship – Communications
Follow me on Twitter @gadgetgreg or Empire KRED (e)GADGET1.
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