Curious individuals searching the internet for images or information about Hollywood heartthrob Brad Pitt have an 18 percent chance of infecting their computer with a virus, worm, or starting to receive unwanted spam. Among women, the greatest danger on the internet is posed by singer Beyoncé.
The California company McAfee Inc. has warned that cybercriminals are increasingly using the names of stars to inundate their fans with content they do not wish to receive on their computers or to infect their PCs with viruses and worms. The principle of operation for virtual criminals is simple: they know that in the search for information or images, wallpapers, screen savers, and ringtones of famous performers, surfers do not pay attention to protection and can easily be directed to sites where they have set their ‘traps’.
As reported by Reuters, the most dangerous searches are those for websites about Brad Pitt and singer Justin Timberlake among male stars, while among women, the ‘most dangerous’ are Beyoncé and Heidi Montag, a participant in the reality television show The Hills. On the list of ‘risky’ stars compiled by McAfee Inc., singers Mariah Carey, Rihanna, and Fergie, as well as actresses Angelina Jolie, Jessica Alba, Cameron Diaz, and another Hollywood heartthrob – George Clooney – rank high. Searching for content about soccer player David Beckham and actresses Katie Holmes, Lindsay Lohan, and Katherine Heigl is somewhat less dangerous. (T. V.)
