Sonakshi Sinha tops the list of McAfee Most Sensational Celebrities 2016

Celebrities bedazzle and bewitch us and we cannot have enough of them. Whether they be actors, singers, models, comedians or sportspersons, we want to know the latest about them – their lives, performances, fashion – everything. And the best place to get all these information? The internet. We frequently go online to read up on them, download the latest movie or song or check out their public appearances.

And that’s what the cyber criminals capitalize on – they understand the yearning for having celebrity information on the go and make use of it to introduce malware into the user’s devices.

The 10^th global edition of the study titled McAfee Most Sensational Celebrities 2016 by McAfee reveals the Top 10 Bollywood celebrities with the highest risk percentages:

Actress and rapper Sonakshi Sinha tops the list of McAfee Most Sensational Celebrities 2016, continuing the rule of the femme fatales as sensational Indian celebs. She replaces Priyanka Chopra, who slid to the 7^th rank. This year, Gen Y movie celebrities have made their presence felt in the Top 10. So while Farhan Akhtar takes the second place and Kareena Kapoor the third; young guns Tiger Shroff and Arjun Kapoor are tied at No. 4 and Shraddha Kapoor occupies the 5th spot.

To clarify, “sensational” has nothing to do with the celebrities themselves, but their popularity as search subjects. s users search the net for celebrity news like awards ceremonies, movie trailers, free wallpapers or celeb gossip, they risk their device and data security. Along with downloading wallpapers or a hit movie or any other online search for celeb information, they unknowingly increase risk and download malware or share personally identifiable details with hackers.

McAfee conducted the study using the free tool McAfee® WebAdvisor site ratings to determine the number of risky sites generated by searches. For example, if you search for Sonakshi Sinha + Torrent or Kareena Kapoor + Free MP4, you will get a list of results, which are categorized as safe and risky, with green, yellow and red demarcations by McAfee® WebAdvisor. If you click on sites deemed unsafe or risky and download files including photos and videos, you run the risk of encountering something malicious.

So we know the danger, what do we do to stay safe online? Here are a few basic Cybersafety rules

• Install branded, cross-device comprehensive security software – Keep all your devices, including smartphones and tabs safe with just the one security software. The security software will identify and eliminate the latest threats and keep you safe
• Use McAfee® WebAdvisor software: Browse safely using WebAdvisor, which will help you identify safe websites. Download it FREE at mcafee.com/mcafeewebadvisor
• Secure Personal Data: Cyber criminals will try to lure you to their traps through scams like phishing or by offering free wallpapers and movies. Learn not to trust unverified free offers or sites that ask you to share email AND password AND date of birth etc. Remember, if it’s too good to be true, it perhaps is
• THINK. CLICK: Never be in a hurry to click. You want to see trailers of your matinee idol’s latest movie or download music? Then go to the original source only. Avoid sites that are not verified safe by a web advisor tool
• Stay legit: Stay clear of torrents and opt for legitimate sites, even if they are paid ones.

So next time you want to find out the latest news on your favourite celeb, first ensure that your devices have been secured with a trusted and comprehensive security software and don’t forget to download the free McAfee WebAdvisor tool. Also, stick to ONLY those sites that are marked green. Awareness begins with education.

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