Intel Security Names Kidman, Mauboy And Bondi Vet The 'Most Dangerous Celebrities' In Australia

SYDNEY, Australia, 29^th September 2015 – Aussie actors, musicians and TV personalities, Nicole Kidman, Jessica Mauboy and Dr Chris Brown have been named by the ninth annual Intel Security Most Dangerous Celebrities^TM list as the riskiest Australian names to search for online.

With digital privacy becoming increasingly difficult to protect in our constantly switched on world, cybercriminals are always looking to take advantage of consumer interest around popular culture and events such as; celebrity breakups, album releases, awards shows and TV and movie premieres. With increased interest around particular well-known names, cybercriminals will often capitalise on this by enticing unsuspecting consumers to websites laden with malware, which enables them to steal passwords and personal information.

Analysis of the Australian results revealed that Nicole Kidman led the list with a 12.5% risk of returning a malicious website.  This year, the actress’ return to stage, her high profile roles in Paddington and Strangerland and the ongoing headlines surrounding her love life with Keith Urban have seen her shoot straight to the top. Adding to this, Kidman was also criticised by airline unions regarding her appearance in a campaign for Etihad Airways, stating that it was at odds with her role as United Nations women’s goodwill ambassador.

Despite good intentions, well-loved Jessica Mauboy came in a close second with a 12.4% risk, dropping from the number one spot in 2014. Her continued rise to stardom has seen her make the move to London and tackle a new genre of music with her hit single This Ain’t Love. Roles as ambassador for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation and Target have also boosted her loveable profile further within the Australian community.

Dr Chris Brown has come a long way since the TV show ‘Bondi Vet.’ Now the butt of all good-looking jokes, the Sydney vet is a regular panelist on ‘The Project,’ co-host on ‘The Living Room’ and presenter of the Australian ‘I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!’ series. He has also recently made waves in the US and is known to American viewers as “Dr Chris – Pet Vet.” Named third in the list with a danger risk of 11.4%, Dr Brown is a new entrant in 2015 that cybercriminals are already savvy to and targeting searches around.  

Fresh from her recent duet with Britney Spears (and subsequent Twitter feud), Australian rap sensation Iggy Azalea (10.7%), placed fourth in the list, followed by Muriel’s Wedding star and internationally renowned actress Toni Collette (10.4%).

A mixture of talent continued the remainder of the top 10, with Braveheart star Mel Gibson (10.3%), country singer and husband to Nicole Kidman Keith Urban (9.6%) (down from third place in 2014), The Hobbit’s Hugo Weaving (9.4%), former ‘Neighbours’ star and pop sensation Kylie Minogue (9.2%) and Red Dog actress Rachael Taylor (9.0%) completing the list.

The top 10 Australian celebrities from this year’s study with the highest percentages of risk are:

 

The 2015 Australian list showed a gender reversal of the 2014 results, with female stars leading over males at a ratio of six to four.  The listings show a skew towards acting talent over singers (six against four) and has a focus on seasoned and established stars rather than new and emerging talent (six against four).

“Appetite for news, gossip and free downloads is stronger than ever and the lure of the celebrity world means that consumers often click on links without checking the security of the sites they’re visiting,” says Melanie Duca, APAC Consumer Marketing Director for Intel Security.

“With ransomware and malware attacks continuing to rise and cybercriminals becoming even more cunning in their targeting, consumers need to be aware of online security issues and ensure their personal data and privacy is protected at all times,” continued Duca.

 

Global Analysis

On a global scale, Armin van Buuren is the first DJ and the third male to find his way to the number one spot (moving up from number two in 2014) following Brad Pitt in 2008 and Jimmy Kimmel in 2014. Usher takes the number three spot between Luke Bryan at number two and Britney Spears at number four. Rounding out the top 10 are Amy Schumer, Betty White, Lorde and Nina Dobrev. Seven of the top 10 are musical artists, ranging from EDM artists to country, hip hop and pop.

The top 10 global celebrities from this year’s study with the highest percentages of risk are:

 

How You Can Stay Protected:

·      Beware of clicking on third-party links. You should access content directly from official websites of content providers. For example, visit reputable site ComedyCentral.com to find Amy Schumer’s latest episodes

·      Use web protection that will notify you of risky sites or links before you visit them and it’s too late. Stick to official news sites for breaking news

     Only download videos from well-known, legitimate sites. This should be common sense, but it bears repeating: don’t download anything from a website you don’t trust — especially video. Most news clips you’d want to see can easily be found on official video sites and don’t require you to download anything

·      Use caution when searching for “HD downloads.” This term is by far the highest virus-prone search term. Consumers searching for videos or files to download should be careful as not to unleash unsafe content such as malware onto their computers

     Always use password protection on all mobile devices. If you don’t and your phone is lost or stolen, anyone who picks up the device could have access to your personal information online

     Don’t “log in” or provide other information. If you receive a message, text or email or visit a third-party website that asks for your information — including your credit card, email, home address, Facebook login — to grant access to an exclusive story, don’t give it out. Such requests are a common tactic for phishing that could lead to identity theft

     Search online using a tool, such as McAfee® WebAdvisor software, which protects users from malicious websites and browser exploits. A complimentary version the software can be downloaded at www.mcafee.com/mcafeewebadvisor

 

Find More Information: 

·        To learn more about the research, you can follow @IntelSecurity on Twitter for live online safety updates and tips. Use hashtag #RiskyCeleb to discuss the Most Dangerous Celebrities of 2015

·       Web surfers can also visit the Intel Security Facebook page at www.facebook.com/intelsecurity and McAfee Security Advice Center for information on the latest consumer threats, and tips for living safe online

·        If you do decide to search for information on a major event or celebrity in the news, make sure your entire household’s devices have protection, such as McAfee LiveSafe™ service, which helps protect most PCs, Macs, and tablets and smartphones. It also includes malware detection software, McAfee® Mobile Security, to better protect your smartphone or tablet from many types of malware

Survey Methodology

The study was conducted using McAfee® WebAdvisor, using SiteAdvisor® site ratings to determine the number of risky sites that would be generated in search results including a celebrity name and commonly searched terms (noted below) and calculates an overall risk percentage for that celebrity. McAfee SiteAdvisor technology helps protect users from malicious websites and browser exploits. SiteAdvisor technology tests and rates nearly every Internet website it finds, and uses red, yellow and green icons to indicate the website’s risk level. Ratings are created by using patented advanced technology to conduct automated website tests and works with Internet Explorer, Chrome, Safari and Firefox.

On the global list, the terms “Armin van Buuren,” “Armin van Buuren HD downloads,” “Armin van Buuren free MP4,” and “Armin van Buuren torrent” were used to search for Armin van Buuren, and similar terms were used for each celebrity on the list. The results indicated the percentage of risk of running into online threats — if a user clicked all the results generated by the terms. Fans clicking on sites deemed risky and downloading files including photos and videos from those sites may also be prone to downloading viruses and malware. The same process was followed to search for local Australian celebrities.

 

About Intel Security

McAfee is now part of Intel Security. With its Security Connected strategy, innovative approach to hardware-enhanced security, and unique Global Threat Intelligence, Intel Security is intensely focused on developing proactive, proven security solutions and services that protect systems, networks, and mobile devices for business and personal use around the world. Intel Security combines the experience and expertise of McAfee with the innovation and proven performance of Intel to make security an essential ingredient in every architecture and on every computing platform. Intel Security’s mission is to give everyone the confidence to live and work safely and securely in the digital world. www.intelsecurity.com.

 

No computer system can be absolutely secure.  

 

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