Search for These Celebrities If You Want to Get Hacked

Amy Schumer has gone viral and we don't mean in the fun way

September 29, 2016 9:00 am

The problem with adoring Amy Schumer?

She’s dangerous, by Internet standards. The comedian is now the most hazardous pop culture icon to search for online, according to a study released by Intel Security.

The McAfee Most Dangerous Celebrities study, now in its 10th year, uncovers the celebrities who generate dangerous web search results: think viruses and malware from shady sites that want to steal your passwords and personal information. Behind Schumer is a rather odd mishmash of famous people: Carson Daly (famous?), Chris Hardwick and Daniel Tosh, along with more-expected celebs like Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus and Rihanna.

“With [a] craving for real-time information, many search and click without considering potential security risks,” says Intel Security’s “chief consumer security evangelist,” Gary Davis. “Cybercriminals know this and take advantage of this behavior by attempting to lead them to unsafe sites loaded with malware. As a result, consumers need to understand what precautions to take to enable safe online experiences.”

The top 10 “dangerous” celebs:

  1. Amy Schumer
  2. Justin Bieber
  3. Carson Daly
  4. Will Smith
  5. Rihanna
  6. Miley Cyrus
  7. Chris Hardwick
  8. Daniel Tosh
  9. Selena Gomez
  10.  Kesha

The company’s advice? Be careful with third-party links, avoid “torrents,” never enter your credit card info or social media logins, and use software to detect potentially dangerous sites (they, of course, suggest their own WebAdvisor program).

Missing from McAfee’s list? The potentially deadly John McAfee himself.

Be careful out there.

The InsideHook Newsletter.

News, advice and insights for the most interesting person in the room.