Science & Technology
Science and Technology
Science and Technology 
Thu, September 15, 2011
Heidi Klum Named Most Dangerous Celebrity in Cyberspace by McAfee
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Heidi Klum has replaced Cameron Diaz as the most dangerous celebrity to search for on the Web, according to [ Internet security company McAfee ] (NASDAQ:INTC). For the fifth year in a row, McAfee researched popular culturea™s most famous people to reveal the riskiest celebrity athletes, musicians, politicians, comedians and Hollywood stars on the Web. The [ McAfee Most Dangerous CelebritiesTM ] studyfound movie stars and models top the amost dangerousa list this year, while singers and sports stars are among the safest.
"Still, searching for any celebrity can bring up risky sites and the public should use caution by not clicking on any page that looks suspicious."
Cybercriminals often use the names of popular celebrities to lure people to sites that are actually laden with malicious software. Anyone looking for the latest videos or pictures could end up with a malware-ridden computer instead of just trendy content.
aWhile slightly safer than last year, searching for top celebrities continues to generate risky results,a said Paula Greve, director of Web security research at McAfee. aConsumers should be particularly aware of malicious content hiding in atinya™ places like shortened URLs that can spread virally in social networking sites, or through e-mails and text messages from friends.a
Heidi Klum Searches Yield Nearly a One-in-Ten Chance of Landing on a Malicious Site
Fans searching for aHeidi Klum and downloads,a aHeidi Klum and afreea™ downloads,a aHeidi Klum and screensavers,a aHeidi Klum and hot picturesa and aHeidi Klum and videosa are at risk of running into online threats designed to steal personal information. Clicking on these risky sites and downloading files like photos, videos or screensavers exposes surfers or consumers to the risk of downloading viruses and malware.
McAfee research found that searching for the latest Heidi Klum pictures and downloads yields more than a nine percent chance of landing on a website that has tested positive for online threats, such as spyware, adware, spam, phishing, viruses and other malware.
The study uses McAfee® SiteAdvisor® site ratings, which indicate which sites are risky to search for celebrity names on the Web and calculate an overall risk percentage. The top 10 celebrities from this yeara™s study with the highest percentages of risk are:
| Position | Celebrity | |
| 1 | Heidi Klum a" Klum, the former Victoriaa™s Secret model and current producer of aProject Runwaya moved up from No. 10 on last yeara™s list to No. 1 today. Searching for Klum results in nearly a one in ten chance of landing on a risky site. | |
| 2 | Cameron Diaza" 2010a™s Most Dangerous Celebrity fell to second place, with searches resulting in slightly fewer risky sites this year. She has most recently been in the spotlight with her 2011 movies aBad Teachera and aThe Green Hornet.a | |
| 3 | Piers Morgan a" A new addition to the top ten list, Morgan is also the most dangerous male celebrity. He is best known as the host of aPiers Morgan Tonight,a taking over for Larry King, a winner of the aCelebrity Apprentice,a and one of the judges on aAmericaa™s Got Talent.a | |
| 4 | Jessica Biela" 2009a™s Most Dangerous Celebrity fell one more spot this year with searches resulting in fewer risky sites. Biel continues to be in the spotlight with her on-again, off-again relationship with Justin Timberlake, and her appearance in aThe A-Teama in June 2010. | |
| 5 | Katherine Heigl a" The former aGreya™s Anatomya star moved into the top ten for the first time this year. Heigl has appeared in recent movies such as aKillersa and aLife as We Know It.a | |
| 6 | Mila Kunisa" The former star of aThat 70s Showa makes her first showing in the top ten, bolstered by starring in movies such as aBlack Swana and aFriends with Benefits.a | |
| 7 | Anna Paquina" This aTrue Blooda star is as dangerous on the Web as she is on the screen. She moved up from No. 10 last year to No. 7 this year. | |
| 8 | Adriana Limaa" Searching for downloads of this Brazilian beauty can direct users to red-ranked sites. Lima is best known for being a Victoriaa™s Secret Angel since 2000. Searching for Lima became slightly safer, moving her from No. 6 last year, to No. 8 this year. | |
| 9 | Scarlett Johanssona" The former child star has gotten more dangerous as shea™s grown up. Named in 2010, as aBabe of The Yeara by GQ Magazine, Johansson most recently appeared in aIron Man 2.a | |
| 10 | Emma Stone, Brad Pitt and Rachel McAdams a" Pitt has been a mainstay of this list, appearing in the top ten for the past four years. Stone and McAdams are new to the top ten. Stone, the star of last yeara™s aEasy Aa has appeared in aThe Helpa and aCrazy Stupid Lovea this year. McAdams has most recently appeared in aMorning Glorya and aMidnight in Paris.a |
Gisele Bndchen, Tom Cruise, Penelope Cruz, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Nicole Kidman and Julia Roberts have all dropped out of this yeara™s top ten list.
Beware of Victoriaa™s Secret Beauties
Two of Victoriaa™s Secret top models are among the top ten this year. Searching for downloads of sexy Heidi Klum (No. 1) or Adriana Lima (No. 8) can result in landing on a risky site.
Sports Stars and Singers are Safer
Tennis stars Maria Sharapova and Andy Roddick, who came in at No. 13 and No. 14, respectively, last year have dropped to No. 44 and No. 56 on this yeara™s list. Singer Justin Bieber was No. 49 this year, followed by Rihanna and Carrie Underwood who were tied at No. 51, and Lady Gaga was No. 58.
Headlines Dona™t Equate to Risk
This year actor Charlie Sheen made headlines with his highly public departure from aTwo and a Half Mena and his one-man roadshow, among other things. Despite the publicity, however, Sheen is not classified as a adangerousa celebrity. Sheen ranked No. 59 on this yeara™s list, with less than three percent of searches yielding risky results. Lindsay Lohan, another tabloid favorite, ranked No. 18 on this yeara™s list, tied with Gwen Stefani and Reese Witherspoon.
aHot movies and TV shows, awards and industry accolades seem to be more of a factor than headline-grabbing activity,a said Greve. aStill, searching for any celebrity can bring up risky sites and the public should use caution by not clicking on any page that looks suspicious.a
Keep Safe with McAfee SiteAdvisor LIVE software
McAfee security experts urge consumers to surf safely by using [ McAfee Total Protectiona" security software ], a security suite that offers consumers anti-virus, anti-spyware, identity and firewall protection, and with SiteAdvisor, which displays red, yellow or green web safety ratings within Internet search results pages. It also blocks risky websites, adds anti-phishing protection, and helps users more safely surf, shop and bank online.
Consumers can also safely surf the Web by using Secure Search box located within the web browser, which automatically blocks areda sites within a usera™s search results that have potentially dangerous downloads including viruses, spyware and other harmful software.
Web surfers should visit the [ McAfee Security Advice Center ] and Facebook page at [ www.facebook.com/mcafee ] for information on the latest threats, and tips on surfing safely. A complimentary version of SiteAdvisor software can be downloaded quickly at [ www.siteadvisor.com ].
About McAfee SiteAdvisor technology
McAfee SiteAdvisor technology protects users from malicious websites and browser exploits. SiteAdvisor technology tests and rates nearly every trafficked site on the Internet and uses red, yellow and green icons to indicate the websitea™s risk level.
SiteAdvisor site ratings are created by using patented advanced technology to conduct automated website tests. SiteAdvisor software works with Internet Explorer and Firefox.
About McAfee
McAfee, a wholly owned subsidiary of Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC), is the world's largest dedicated security technology company. McAfee delivers proactive and proven solutions and services that help secure systems, networks, and mobile devices around the world, allowing users to safely connect to the Internet, browse and shop the Web more securely. Backed by its unrivaled Global Threat Intelligence, McAfee creates innovative products that empower home users, businesses, the public sector and service providers by enabling them to prove compliance with regulations, protect data, prevent disruptions, identify vulnerabilities, and continuously monitor and improve their security. McAfee is relentlessly focused on constantly finding new ways to keep our customers safe. [ http://www.mcafee.com ]
Note: McAfee, the McAfee logo, SiteAdvisor and McAfee Total Protection are registered trademarks or trademarks of McAfee, Inc., or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others. ©2011 McAfee, Inc. All rights reserved.
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