Caroline Flack has topped the list of the most dangerous celebrities on the internet, according to antivirus company McAfee. The latest list is the thirteenth one that McAfee has compiled. For those curious, TV megastar Kim Kardashian was at the top of the list last time. Kardashian has since fallen to 26th place on the list. With the success of Love Island, we see that Caroline Flack is now at the top of the list.
Caroline Flack's rise to fame over the past four years as the host of Love Island has made her a prime target for cybercriminals .Hackers are looking for their victims among users looking for the latest gossip, news and photos of Caroline Flack, even if it means visiting potentially dangerous websites.
Behind Caroline Flack in second place is Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams. Behind Flack and Williams, comes actor James Corden. In the following places come Nicki Minaj (No.4) and Billie Eilish (No.5), Josh Gad (No.6), actress Mischa Barton (No.7), singers Sam Smith (No.8) and Dua Lipa (No.9) and finally actor Liam Hemsworth (No.10).
As readers chase the latest news and gossip surrounding their favorite celebrities, they interact with content across multiple devices and conduct potentially dangerous online searches – often without thinking about the consequences
For cybercriminals, this gives them the opportunity to lure unsuspecting consumers to malicious websites that may install malware or steal personal information and passwords.
“Caroline Flack is one of the most sought-after presenters on TV,” explained Raj Samani, McAfee. “After another year of Love Island being a huge hit in the UK, I’m not surprised she’s at the top of the list. People want to be up to date with the latest celebrity news at any time on any device.
“Often consumers put this speed and convenience over their security by clicking on suspicious links that promise content featuring their favorite celebrities. Consumers need to think before they click and be confident that they are browsing safe digital content and protected from cyber threats that can be used to infect devices or steal their identities.
Unlike the 2018 list of the most dangerous celebrities, TV stars are ranked low on this year's list, replacing musicians and actors. Kim Kardashian was the top celebrity on last year's list and this year she is at number 26. Other members of the Kardashian are also lower on the list, such as Kendall Jenner (No. 92) and Kourtney Kardashian (No. 124), who has fallen from third place last year.
Here is the full list for 2019
1 – Caroline Flack
2 – Maisie Williams
3 – James Corden
4 – Nicki Minaj
5 – Billie Eilish
6 – Josh Gad
7 – Mischa Barton
8 – Sam Smith
9 – Dua Lipa
10 – Liam Hemsworth
McAfee offers some tips so customers can stay safe while searching for news about their favorite celebrities.
First, McAfee warns to be careful what you click on. For example, users hoping to watch Frozen 2 starring Josh Gad should be cautious and only stream and download from trusted sources. The safest thing to do is wait for the official release rather than visiting a third-party website that could contain malware.
As always, users are warned not to use illegal streaming websites.
McAfee warns: “When it comes to risky online behavior, using illegal streaming sites is the equivalent of spreading like wildfire on device . Many illegal streaming sites are filled with malware or adware disguised as pirated video files. Do yourself a favor and stream from a trusted source.”
It's no surprise that the final piece of advice from McAfee is to sign up for its antivirus plan.
