Singer dubbed 'most dangerous' celebrity on the internet

abiola

September 20, 2017 2:02 PM

This follows swiftly the computer internet security firm McAfee's indication that Craig David is the 'most dangerous' UK celebrity to search for online.

Avril Lavigne has been named the ‘riskiest’ celebrity on the planet to search for online.

The Canadian star singer-songwriter’s name is being reported to be the most dangerous search term in the world of celebrities according to a study.

Craig David was recently also announced as the 'riskiest' UK celeb to search for on the internet.

Cybersecurity company McAfee in its annual survey of online celebrity searches associated with malware, saw the Canadian singer topping the list.

Bruno Mars is second placed followed by Carly Rae Jepsen, Zayn Malik and Celine Dion.

Others on the list are Calvin Harris, Justin Bieber, Sean "Diddy" Combs, and Katy Perry. Beyonce was named 10 most dangerous.

“Cybercriminals continue to use the fascination of consumers with celebrity culture to drive unsuspecting users to potentially malicious websites that can be used to install malware, steal personal information and even passwords,” read a statement from McAfee.

McAfee reportedly uses its own site ratings to compile the initial celebrity list, then checks it with searches using Google, Bing, and Yahoo.

Lavigne tops the list with a 14.5% risk; with that number jumping to 22% when searching for the key words “Avril Lavigne free mp3.”

“In today’s digital world, we want the latest hit albums, videos, movies and more, immediately available on our devices,” said Gary Davis, McAfee’s chief consumer security evangelist. “Consumers often prioritize their convenience over security by engaging in risky behavior like clicking on suspicious links that promise the latest content from celebrities. It’s imperative that they slow down and consider the risks associated with searching for downloadable content. Thinking before clicking goes a long way to stay safe online.”

Avril Lavigne has been away from the music scene, having battled with Lyme disease in 2014.

She recently announced she would be releasing new music soon – also assuring fans of a sixth album coming out soon which may have contributed to an increase in malicious sites associated with a search for her name.

McAfee also suggested an internet conspiracy that Lavigne has been replaced by an impostor played a role.

Interestingly, Lavigne is the first female musician to ever rank first on McAfee’s list.

Back in 2016, actress Amy Schumer held the "Most Dangerous Celebrity on the Internet" title, and in 2015 it was DJ van Buuren, a Dutch DJ.

ALSO READ:The amount of malware for Macs is continuing to surge

abiola