Jann Arden is the most dangerous celebrity to search online, says McAfee Corp.
The Calgary-born singer-songwriter is associated with the highest number of search results that could compromise a user’s security. Criminals leverage their fame to bait users into accessing malicious links to distribute malware, viruses, and steal personal information.
Arden is popular at the moment as fans anticipate her upcoming sitcom series on CTV, in which she will be playing a fictionalized version of herself. Jann is set to debut sometime in the 2018-2019 season.
“Often consumers put speed and convenience over security by clicking on suspicious links that promise content featuring our favourite celebrities, such as our favourite movies, TV shows or pictures.” Says Gary Davis, chief consumer security evangelist at McAfee in a press release. “In our hyper-connected world, it’s important for consumers to think before they click to be sure they are surfing to safe digital content and protecting themselves from cybersecurity threats that may be used to infect their devices or steal their identity.”
Five out of the 10 celebrities in the list have appeared in at least one superhero movie. With superhero films blowing up the box office, users are actively seeking ways to watch them for free through third parties. This invites criminals to create more malicious sites targeting these viewers, thus creating the surge in dangerous links to the stars of the movies.
McAfee advises users to always obtain their media from reliable sources and keep their software up to date. Parents are also encouraged to use parental control features on their machines to prevent kids from accidentally downloading malware.
The top 10 most dangerous celebrities in 2018 are:
1 Jann Arden
2 Cobie Smulders
3 Carrie-Anne Moss
4 Ellen Page
5 Evangeline Lilly
6 Rachel McAdams
7 Neve Campbell
8 Avril Lavigne
9 Celine Dion
10 Pamela Anderson