Ninth Annual Study Highlights Strong
Correlation between Music Searches and Potential Online
Risks
Amy Schumer and Betty White Laugh Their Way
to the Top 10
Electronic Dance Music (EDM) DJ Armin van Buuren replaces
comedian and talk show host Jimmy Kimmel as Intel Security’s most
dangerous celebrity to search for online. For the ninth year in a
row, Intel Security researched popular culture’s most famous people
to reveal which of them generates the most dangerous search
results. The Intel Security Most Dangerous Celebrities™ study
revealed that searches for certain musicians and comedians tend to
expose Internet searchers to more possible viruses and malware.
Armin van Buuren is the first DJ and the third male, following
Brad Pitt in 2008 and Jimmy Kimmel in 2014, to find his way to the
No. 1 spot (moving up from No. 2 in 2014). Usher takes the No. 3
spot between Luke Bryan at No. 2 and Britney Spears at No. 4.
Rounding out the top 10 are Amy Schumer (No. 7), Betty White (No.
8), Lorde (No. 9) and Nina Dobrev (No. 10). Seven of the top 10 are
musical artists, ranging from EDM artists to country, hip hop and
pop.
Cybercriminals are always looking for ways to take advantage of
consumer interest around popular culture events including award
shows, TV show and movies premieres, album releases, celebrity
breakups, and more. They capitalize on this interest by enticing
unsuspecting consumers to sites laden with malware, which enables
them to steal passwords and personal information.
“With today’s busy culture and a desire for real time
information, consumers often click on sites that will quickly
provide them with news and entertainment, without considering
safety and security implications,” said Stacey Conner, online
safety expert at Intel Security. “Cybercriminals leverage this need
for immediacy by encouraging people to visit unsafe sites that can
steal private data.”
It appears that people looking to download or listen to free
music may be especially at risk. “Celebrity names combined with the
terms ‘free MP4,' ‘HD downloads,’ or ‘torrent’ are some of the most
searched terms on the Web,” continues Conner. “When consumers
search for music that is not made available through legitimate
channels, they put both their digital lives and devices at
risk.”
Nearly 1 in 5 Results Generated by Armin van
Buuren Searches Are Links toMalicious Sites
Intel Security research found that clicking on results generated
by searching for “Armin van Buuren” combined with the terms "free
MP4,” “HD downloads,” or “torrent” yields almost a 1 in 5 chance of
landing on a website that has tested positive for online threats,
such as spyware, adware, spam, phishing, viruses and other
malware.
The top 10 celebrities from this year’s study with the highest
risk percentages are:
Position Celebrity Percentage
1 Armin van Buuren 17.92%
2 Luke Bryan 17.64% 3
Usher 16.67% 4 Britney
Spears 16.39% 5 Jay Z
15.83% 6 Katy Perry
14.86% 7 Amy Schumer
14.72% 8 Betty White
14.03% 9 Lorde 13.61%
10 Nina Dobrev 13.19%
Musicians Mix to the Top of the List
Seven of the top 10 represent a mix of EDM, country, hip hop and
pop musical artists. Britney Spears remains in the top 10 –
taking the No. 4 spot compared to her place last year as No. 7 on
the list. Justin Bieber (No. 11), Rihanna (No. 12),
Jennifer Lopez and Kenny Chesney (tied at No. 13),
Selena Gomez (No. 14), Zendaya (No. 15), Kanye
West (No. 16), Afrojack and Miley Cyrus (tied at
No. 19), and Nick Jonas (No. 20) are a few beats behind the
top 10 and round out the musicians included in the top 20.
Funny Females and Fellows
Funny ladies Amy Schumer and Betty White both make
the top 10 taking the No. 7 and No. 8 spots, respectively. Last
year’s Most Dangerous Celebrity, Jimmy Kimmel, fell to No.
26 on this year’s list (tied with Melissa McCarthy). Other
funny people to make the list include: Jimmy Fallon and
Kristen Wiig (tied at No. 27), Tina Fey (No. 29), and
Ellen DeGeneres (No. 31).
Mad for Movies
Though no movie stars made the top 10 this year, several can be
“scene” in the top 30, including: Antonio Banderas (No. 14),
Nicole Kidman (No. 15), Zac Efron (No. 17),
Natalie Portman (No. 18), Sandra Bullock (No. 19),
Jennifer Lawrence (No. 20), Kate Mara (No. 22),
Penelope Cruz (No. 27), Rooney Mara (No. 28),
Scarlett Johansson, Jessica Alba, and Naomi
Watts (tied at No. 29).
TV Talk
In addition to Nina Dobrev (No. 10), co-star Paul
Wesley (No. 18) heats up the list as well as TV stars Sofia
Vergara (No. 21), Laverne Cox and Lucy Hale (tied
at No. 23), Kylie Jenner (No. 24), and Kim Kardashian
(No. 28).
How You Can Better Protect Yourself:
- Beware of clicking on third-party
links. You should access content directly from official
websites of content providers. For example, visit reputable site
ComedyCentral.com to find Amy Schumer’s latest episodes.
- Use web protection that
will notify you of risky sites or links before you visit them and
it’s too late. Stick to official news sites for breaking news.
- Only download videos from
well-known, legitimate sites. This should be common sense, but
it bears repeating: don’t download anything from a website you
don’t trust — especially video. Most news clips you’d want to see
can easily be found on official video sites and don’t require you
to download anything.
- Use caution when searching for “HD
downloads.” This term is by far the highest virus-prone search
term. Consumers searching for videos or files to download
should be careful as not to unleash unsafe content such as malware
onto their computers.
- Always use password protection on
all mobile devices. If you don’t and your phone is lost or
stolen, anyone who picks up the device could have access to your
personal information online.
- Don’t “log in” or provide other
information. If you receive a message, text or email or visit a
third-party website that asks for your information — including your
credit card, email, home address, Facebook login — to grant access
to an exclusive story, don’t give it out. Such requests are a
common tactic for phishing that could lead to identity theft.
- Search online using a tool, such as
McAfee® WebAdvisor software, which protects users from
malicious websites and browser exploits. A complimentary version of
the software can be downloaded at www.mcafee.com/mcafeewebadvisor.
Find More Information:
- To learn more about the research, you
can check out
- Blog post from Gary Davis:
https://blogs.mcafee.com/consumer/most-dangerous-celebrities-2015
- Blog post from Toni Birdsong:
https://blogs.mcafee.com/consumer/how-a-music-or-celebrity-search-can-wreak-havoc-for-families
- Press release:
http://www.mcafee.com/us/about/news/2015/q3/20150929-01.aspx
- Twitter: Follow @IntelSecurity
for live online safety updates and tips. Use hashtag #RiskyCeleb to
discuss the Most Dangerous Celebrities of 2015
- Web surfers can also visit the Intel
Security Facebook page at www.facebook.com/intelsecurity and McAfee
Security Advice Center for information on the latest consumer
threats, and tips for living safe online.
- If you do decide to search for
information on a major event or celebrity in the news, make sure
your entire household’s devices have protection, such as McAfee
LiveSafe™ service, which helps protect most PCs, Macs, and tablets
and smartphones. It also includes malware detection software,
McAfee® Mobile Security, to better protect your smartphone or
tablet from many types of malware.
Survey Methodology
The study was conducted using McAfee® WebAdvisor, using
SiteAdvisor® site ratings to determine the number of risky sites
that would be generated in search results including a celebrity
name and commonly searched terms (noted below) and calculates an
overall risk percentage for that celebrity. McAfee SiteAdvisor
technology helps protect users from malicious websites and browser
exploits. SiteAdvisor technology tests and rates nearly every
Internet website it finds, and uses red, yellow and green icons to
indicate the website’s risk level. Ratings are created by using
patented advanced technology to conduct automated website tests and
works with Internet Explorer, Chrome, Safari and Firefox.
The terms “Armin van Buuren,” “Armin van Buuren HD downloads,”
“Armin van Buuren free MP4,” and “Armin van Buuren torrent” were
used to search for Armin van Buuren, and similar terms were used
for each celebrity on the list. The results indicated the
percentage of risk of running into online threats — if a user
clicked all the results generated by the terms. Fans clicking on
sites deemed risky and downloading files including photos and
videos from those sites may also be prone to downloading viruses
and malware.
About Intel Security
McAfee is now part of Intel Security. With its Security
Connected strategy, innovative approach to hardware-enhanced
security, and unique Global Threat Intelligence, Intel Security is
intensely focused on developing proactive, proven security
solutions and services that protect systems, networks, and mobile
devices for business and personal use around the world. Intel
Security combines the experience and expertise of McAfee with the
innovation and proven performance of Intel to make security an
essential ingredient in every architecture and on every computing
platform. Intel Security’s mission is to give everyone the
confidence to live and work safely and securely in the digital
world. www.intelsecurity.com.
No computer system can be absolutely secure.
Note: Intel and the Intel logo are trademarks of Intel
Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries. McAfee, McAfee
LiveSafe and the McAfee logo are trademarks of McAfee Inc. or its
subsidiaries in the U.S. and/or other countries.
*Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of
others.
© 2015 Intel Corporation
View source
version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150928006725/en/
Intel SecurityMary Salvaggio,
646-527-5858mary.salvaggio@intel.comorDKCEva Ross,
212-981-5218Eva_Ross@dkcnews.com
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