Computer security company McAfee warns fans of “Harry Potter” star Emma Watson to be careful when searching for photos of the actress. In the sixth annual Most Dangerous Celebrity study, the Intel (INTC) owned security technology company says there is a one-in-eight chance of landing on a malicious site if you Google Ms. Watson.
The blog says that the 22-year-old actress is dangerous because many cyber-criminal sites use her name or photos to trick users into downloading malicious software or to steal personal information. “It goes without saying that we are a celebrity-obsessed culture. We hyper-focus on their lives, what they look like, what they’re doing,” Robert Siciliano, McAfee’s online security expert told the LA Times. “Currently Emma Watson is one of those people that criminals have determined is a good target, based on the demographics of those who pay attention to her.”
Mr. Siciliano said criminals know that they can dupe a teenage boy to click on a link that infects the family’s computer, potentially giving them access to, say, a parent’s tax files that contain social security numbers.
“It’s a really a brilliant scam — and it’s so simple,” McAfee’s Siciliano said. “Hackers set up the websites, they use … search engine optimization to get the websites high up in search [rankings]. And once they get them high up in search, lace it with links and downloads that are infected.”
Female stars dominate the list of celebs used to dupe the unsuspecting. Late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel was the only guy to make McAfee’s “most dangerous” list, weighing in at No. 13.
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McAfee recommends these steps to protect yourself:
- Stick to sites you know and trust. If you don’t recognize the URL, don’t click.
- Avoid search results that look too good to be true.
- Alluring keywords like “nude” or “sex tape” are especially risky. Keep it clean.
following these steps will protect you from malware spread by Emma Watson, the most dangerous celebrity online.
McAfee's Most Dangerous Online Celebrities
| 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emma Watson | Heidi Klum | Cameron Diaz | Jessica Biel |
| Jessica Biel | Cameron Diaz | Julia Roberts | Beyonce |
| Eva Mendes | Piers Morgan | Jessica Biel | Jennifer Aniston |
| Selena Gomez | Jessica Biel | Gisele Bundchen | Tom Brady |
| Halle Berry | Katherine Heigl | Brad Pitt | Jessica Simpson |
| Megan Fox | Mila Kunis | Adriana Lima | Giselle Bundchen |
| Shakira | Anna Paquin | Jennifer Love Hewitt & Nicole Kidman | Miley Cyrus |
| Cameron Diaz | Adriana Lima | Tom Cruise | Meghan Fox & Angelina Jolie |
| Salma Hayek | Scarlett Johansson | Heidi Klum & Penelope Cruz | Ashley Tisdale |
| Sofia Vergara. | Emma Stone, Brad Pitt & Rachel McAdams | Anna Paquin | Brad Pitt |
Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.