Jessica Biel is now the most dangerous celebrity to search for on the Web, according to a new report from McAfee.
Fans searching for “Jessica Biel” or Jessica Biel downloads,” Jessica Biel wallpaper,” “Jessica Biel screensavers,” Jessica Biel photos” and “Jessica Biel videos” have a one in five chance of visiting a website that’s tested positive for online threats, such as spyware, adware, spam, phishing, viruses and other malware.
Cybercriminals use celebrities’ names and images, like Kim Kardashian and Rihanna, to lure users searching for the latest stories, screen savers and ringtones to sites offering free downloads hosting malware.
“Cybercriminals are star watchers too – they latch onto popular celebrities to encourage the download of malicious software in disguise,” said Jeff Green, senior vice president of McAfee Avert Labs.
“Consumers’ obsession with celebrity news and culture is harmless in theory, but one bad download can cause a lot of damage to a computer.”
Beyonc landed in the number two spot for the second year in a row, setting McAfee’s record as the overall most frequent, highly-ranked celebrity in the top five.
Other celebrities in the top five include Jennifer Aniston at number three, Tom Brady at number four and Jessica Simpson rounding out the top five.
The President and First Lady are not among the most risky public figures to search for. Barack and Michelle Obama ranked in the bottom-third of this year’s results, at #34 and #39, respectively.
