intelSince Intel Security’s mission is giving everyone the confidence to live and work safely and securely in the digital world, Asian eMarketing isn’t much surprised about the company’s commitment and the revelation of its recent study. For the fifth year in a row, the security expert researched in Singapore, which famous celebrity generates the most dangerous search results.

Conducted by using McAfee SiteAdvisor, the company can not only determine the number of risky sites, but calculate the overall risk percentage, to protect users from malicious websites and browser exploits, by testing and rating nearly every Internet website it finds, and using 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.

Intel Security’s latest ‘Most Dangerous Celebrities’ study revealed that searches from Singapore for certain martial art legends, established female actresses and musicians tend to expose Internet searchers to more possible viruses and malware. This year, Hong Kong actor and martial arts expert Donnie Yen has been revealed as Intel Security’s most dangerous celebrity to search for online, emphasizing that cybercriminals are always looking for ways to take advantage of consumer interest around popular culture - including celebrity news, TV shows, movie premieres, album launches and more. They capitalize on this interest by enticing unsuspecting consumers to sites laden with malware, enabling them to steal passwords and personal information.

“The pervasiveness of electronic goods and gadgets, as well as a desire for real time information, has resulted in consumers often clicking on sites that will quickly provide them with news and entertainment. Often, safety and security implications are not considered,” said David Freer, Vice President Consumer APAC, at Intel Security. “Cybercriminals leverage this need for immediacy by encouraging people to visit unsafe sites that can steal private data.”

People in Singapore, looking to download free music or free movies, may be especially at risk. “Celebrity names combined with the terms ‘free MP4, ‘HD downloads,’ or ‘torrent’ are some of the most searched terms on the Web,” continues David. “When consumers search for music that is not made available through legitimate channels, they put both their digital lives and devices at risk.”

Further key findings of Intel Security Most Dangerous Celebrities™ study include:
Kungfu heroes top the list: Yen and fellow action hero Jackie Chan claimed the top two spots in the top 10 list, a testament to the longevity of the popularity of martial arts as a form of entertainment in popular culture.
Multi-tasking entertainers stay in the spotlight and generate more potentially risky searches: In today’s entertainment world, being just an actor or a singer is no longer enough. Industry veteran Andy Lau (No. 7) is a singer-songwriter, actor, presenter, and film producer. Daniel Henney (No. 6) is a “mactor” (model and actor) while Angelababy (No, 8) is a singer, actress and model.
Female actresses in their 30s and 40s have not faded out: Despite the entertainment industry’s focus on youth, female actresses in their 30s and 40s continue to be popular. Filling spots in the list are Gong Li at No. 5, Maggie Q at No. 9 and Jun Ji-Hyun rounding off the top 10 at No. 10 respectively.
Music acts remain popular: Singer-songwriter Jay Chou hit No. 4 and K-pop group Girls Generation reached No. 3.

Last but not least, Intel Security is sharing its expertise by providing useful tips on how to play it safe when searching the web:
Beware of clicking on third-party links. You should access content directly from official websites of content providers.
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 can’t hurt repeating it again: 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.

Considering what you just read, make sure all your digital devices have internet security protection before you decide to search for information on a major event or celebrity in the news, or use at least web protection tools, such as McAfee WebAdvisor software, which protects users from malicious websites and browser exploits. Besides, always keep in mind that no computer system can be absolutely secure. 

By MediaBUZZ