Be Careful What You Search For

Searching for topics of interest on the Internet is something users do on a regular basis. The ability to search for information using a search engine is a great feature that will provide results in seconds. Unfortunately, indiscriminately searching for topics on the Internet can increase your chances of becoming a victim of an Internet scam.  Additionally, your chances increase drastically if you are someone that is drawn to celebrity news.

Celebrities always seem to be in the limelight.  They are constantly in the news and their pictures are ladened at checkout lines in grocery stores.  Attackers know a large portion of the population follows celebrity news.  Therefore, they have adapted their malicious techniques to incorporate celebrity features in an effort to draw you into their trap.

In an article titled McAfee Reveals Emma Watson as 2012’s Most Dangerous Cyber Celebrity, it was stated, “Cybercriminals follow the latest trends, often using the names of popular celebrities to lure people to sites that are actually laden with malicious software that are designed to steal passwords and personal information” (2012, para. 2).  The article also revealed the ten most risky celebrities to search for in 2012.  They are: 1) Emma Watson, 2) Jessica Biel, 3) Eva Mendes, 4) Selena Gomez, 5) Halle Berry, 6) Megan Fox,  7) Shakira, 8) Cameron Diaz, 9) Salma Hayek, 10) Sofia Vergara (McAfee Reveals Emma Watson as 2012’s Most Dangerous Cyber Celebrity ,2012).

Fortunately, there are measures you can practice that will enable you to continue to snoop on the lives of celebrities and keep your valuable information safe.  McAfee.com recommends the following when searching for celebrity information on the Internet: Watch or download content from a trusted site; don’t click on advertisements or pictures celebrities; avoid free downloads because attackers often use them to deliver their malicious content; reframe from searching for celebrity news; ensure all Internet accessible devices have up to date Internet security software (McAfee Reveals Emma Watson as 2012’s Most Dangerous Cyber Celebrity, 2012).

References:

McAfee reveals Emma Watson as 2012’s most dangerous cyber celebrity. (2012, September 10). Retrieved April 20, 2013, from http://www.mcafee.com/us/about/news/2012/q3/20120910-01.aspx