McAfee: search on Sonakshi Sinha may land you in a malicious website

Intel Security said actress Sonakshi Sinha is the No. 1 on the McAfee Most Sensational Celebrities 2016 study.

Gen-Y stars including Sonakshi Sinha, Tiger Shroff, Arjun Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Kriti Sanon and Alia Bhatt comprise 50 percent of the top 10 list for 2016

A search for Sonakshi Sinha + Torrent results in a 21 percent chance of connecting to a malicious website, said McAfee.

Sonakshi Sinha topping the list highlights the trend towards Gen-Y celebrities becoming high value targets. Consumers are now, more than ever, streaming videos, and movies online. As file sharing and torrent use continues to grow in popularity, it’s no surprise that movies are a target for cyber criminals seeking to create malicious files.

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

Priyanka Chopra who was most sensational celebrity for 2015 is down to No. 7 this year. Farhan Akhtar is second in the list (racing from No. 11 in 2015) and is followed by Kareena Kapoor at No. 3 (from No. 10 in 2015). Tiger Shroff and Arjun Kapoor shared their ranks at No.4 (Arjun was No. 18 in 2015). Shraddha Kapoor follows suit at No. 5 (down from No.2 in 2015) and completes the top 5 celebrity list.

The study, published by Intel Security, highlights the various ways hackers can take advantage of consumer interest around several facets of Bollywood cinema news and entice unsuspecting fans to visit sites loaded with malware that can steal passwords and personal information.

Venkat Krishnapur, head of R&D operations for Intel Security’s India Development Centre, said:  “Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting consumers who access information-on-the-go, without considering the potential security risks online around celebrity interest.”