Jessica Biel ‘most dangerous’ celeb search name

So you want to be more in the loop about celebrity news than TMZ, and you can't resist the urge to click on the latest gossip about Jessica Biel's fill-in-the-blank (such as: that new ring from boyfriend Justin Timberlake or a photo of her sans souci at Malibu).

You're not alone, but you are at risk. Biel is considered "the most dangerous celebrity to search in cyberspace," according to security firm McAfee, giving the movie star top billing as "the riskiest" search.

"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 landing at a Web site that's tested positive for online threats such as spyware, adware, spam, phishing, viruses and other malware," or malicious software, McAfee said in a press release. "Searching for the latest celebrity news and downloads can cause serious damage to one’s personal computer."
Biel replaces Brad Pitt, who was No. 1 on last year's list. This is McAfee's third year of the list of "most dangerous" celebrities to search for on the Web, with the company using its SiteAdvisor technology to hunt for celebrity names "that produce the largest number of risky sites and overall risk percentage, when searched on the Web." Results were gathered in July.

"Major buzz" about Biel's figure and her "high-profile relationship with Justin Timberlake" makes her an "easy target for spammers and hackers," McAfee said. "When 'Jessica Biel screensavers' was searched, almost half of the sites were identified as containing malicious downloads with spyware, adware and potential viruses."

It's not the search itself that is dangerous, but the sites that searching may lead you to, especially if you wind up clicking on links to download files that could contain malicious software. It's helpful to use the latest version of your Web browser's software, which can often detect problem sites.


What malicious software problems have you had when downloading celebrity photos, videos or screensavers?

Of course, McAfee wants to sell you its security software. But its SiteAdvisor program, which works with Internet Explorer and Firefox Web browsers, is free.

And the list does have a point to make: "People are too quick to click," Mary Landesman, senior security researcher for ScanSafe, which provides Web security as a service to businesses, said recently. And people are, especially when it involves celebrities. Scammers, spammers and troublemakers know that and freely invoke those big names if it helps serve their purposes.

"Every day, cybercriminals use celebrities’ names and images, like Kim Kardashian and Rihanna, to lure surfers searching for the latest stories, screensavers and ringtones to sites offering free downloads laden with malware," said McAfee.
Of course, McAfee wants to sell you its security software. But its SiteAdvisor program, which works with Internet Explorer and Firefox Web browsers, is free.

And the list does have a point to make: "People are too quick to click," Mary Landesman, senior security researcher for ScanSafe, which provides Web security as a service to businesses, said recently. And people are, especially when it involves celebrities. Scammers, spammers and troublemakers know that and freely invoke those big names if it helps serve their purposes.

"Every day, cybercriminals use celebrities’ names and images, like Kim Kardashian and Rihanna, to lure surfers searching for the latest stories, screensavers and ringtones to sites offering free downloads laden with malware," said McAfee.