After Musicians Dominated Last Year, Stars of TV, the Catwalk and the Silver Screen Return to Top the List
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
- Kim Kardashian is named the UK’s most dangerous celebrity to search for online according to McAfee study
- The study reveals which celebrities generate the most dangerous search results that could expose consumers to malicious websites and malware
- From Kem Cetinay to Britney Spears, celebrities in the top 10 include a variety of musicians, actresses, reality stars and a couple of Kardashians
Reality television personality, entrepreneur and social influencer, Kim Kardashian replaced singer-songwriter Craig David as the most dangerous celebrity to search for online in the UK. For the twelfth year in a row, McAfee researched famous individuals to reveal the riskiest celebrity to search for. The research reveals which celebrities generate the riskiest search results that could potentially expose their fans to malicious websites.
From Paris Hilton’s stylist to one-time-singer, right through to makeup mogul and social media phenomenon, Kim Kardashian has been in the public eye since 2003 and is known for famously “breaking the internet” back in 2014. Now, she can add “first American to take the top spot on the McAfee Most Dangerous Celebrities UK list” to her accomplishments.
Kim was closely followed by catwalk-queen Naomi Campbell at No. 2, another Kardashian in the form of older sister Kourtney at No. 3, singer-songwriter Adele (No. 4), presenter Caroline Flack (No. 5), actress Rose Byrne (No. 6), the only male to grace the list and Love Island winner Kem Cetinay (No 7), singer Britney Spears (No. 8), actress and niece of Julia Roberts, Emma Roberts (No. 9) and to finish off the list ex-TOWIE and social influencer Ferne McCann at No 10.
It’s no secret that cybercriminals attempt to use the allure of celebrity to trick unsuspecting consumers into visiting malicious websites that can be used to install malware or steal personal information and passwords. The study, conducted by McAfee, highlights the dangers of clicking on suspicious links when searching for celebrity-focused content. Kim’s fame is notorious and many people want to stay up to date with anything Kardashian-Jenner related, even if it means visiting sites that could risk breaking their internet – no pun intended.
“We live in a fast-paced world that’s heavily influenced by pop culture and social media, with endless opportunities to pick and choose which entertainment options we prefer to enjoy from a variety of connected devices,” said Raj Samani, Chief Scientist and McAfee Fellow. “Kim Kardashian is undoubtedly one of the most famous women in the world, so it does not surprise me that she has topped this year’s list. 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.
“With Kim Kardashian’s influence and business ventures, people will go to extreme lengths to be a little more like Kim. In our hyper-connected world, it’s important for consumers to think before they click to be sure that 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.”
The top 10 celebrities from this year’s study are:
| Position | Celebrity |
| 1 | Kim Kardashian |
| 2 | Naomi Campbell |
| 3 | Kourtney Kardashian |
| 4 | Adele |
| 5 | Caroline Flack |
| 6 | Rose Byrne |
| 7 | Kem Cetinay |
| 8 | Britney Spears |
| 9 | Emma Roberts |
| 10 | Ferne McCann |
Musicians Don’t Strike the Right Chord
Unlike 2017’s list of most dangerous celebrities that featured all musicians, they ranked lower on this year’s list, being replaced by reality stars, social influencers and actors. Adele was the highest ranked musician at No. 4 followed by Britney Spears (No. 8), Ellie Goulding (No. 14), Jennifer Lopez (No. 18), Jessica Simpson (No. 20), Lady Gaga (No. 26), Ed Sheeran at (No. 29), Drake (No. 39), Katherine Jenkins (No. 40) and Charlie XCX finalising the list of top ten musicians at No. 46.
Break the Internet
Kim Kardashian ‘broke the internet’ with her infamous Paper Magazine cover, and she continues to draw internet users’ attention. Cybercriminals are using this to their advantage by tempting unsuspecting consumers to click on malicious links related to her for data-led and financial gain.
Want to avoid breaking your internet with malware hidden in Kim Kardashian-related content? Download the ‘How Not to Break the Internet’ tips and tricks sheet here: https://we.tl/t-sjWk2Kr3Rh
How to Search Safely
- Streamers beware. Anyone looking for a sneak-peek of the latest Keeping Up with the Kardashians series should be cautious and only stream directly from a reliable, paid-for source. The safest thing to do is to wait for the official release instead of visiting a third-party website that could infect your device with malware.
- Fake news. There are thousands of sites out there hosting fake news on our favourite celebs, trying to entice people to click on them, only to end up downloading malware in the process. Stick to websites you recognise and trust to help avoid cybersecurity threats when looking for the latest gossip.
- Outdated apps can be bad for your digital health. Apply system and application updates as soon as they are available. Very often the operating system and application updates include security fixes, and applying updates is an important step to help ensure devices stay protected. Kim might have claimed she broke the App store, but don’t let any break your security.
- Look for the tick before you click. If you’re in the market for Kim Kardashian’s latest makeup range, make sure the site you’re buying from or sourcing discount codes is verified by your security provider. For example, McAfee users will see a green tick in the search results for sites we’ve certified as safe to browse.
- Keeping kids safe too. Kids are fans of celebrities too and Kim and her wider family have a huge following of all ages. So ensure that limits are set on the child’s device and use software that can help minimise exposure to potentially malicious or inappropriate websites.
The opinions expressed in this post belong to the individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Information Security Buzz.