Brad Pitt tops 'Most Dangerous Celebrities To Search For On The Web' list

Melbourne, Sept 17 : Want to download a Brad Pitt screen saver? Well, you may be putting your PC at risk.

The Hollywood hearthrob has been dubbed the most dangerous celebrity to search for on the web by an Internet security firm because cybercriminals use his name to lure victims.

US-based McAfee said fans searching for information and pictures of the actor, or downloads, wallpaper and screen savers, have an 18 per cent chance of having their PCs infected with a virus, spyware, spam, phishing and adware.

"Cybercriminals employ numerous methods, yet one of the simplest but most effective ways is to trick consumers into infecting themselves by capitalising on Americans' interest in celebrity gossip," The Age.com.au quoted Jeff Green, senior vice president of McAfee's Product Development and Avert Labs, as saying.

"Tapping into current events, pop culture or commonly browsed sites is an easy way to achieve this," he added.

According to the company, web surfers looking for celebrity gossip, screen savers and ringtones are often directed to fake Internet sites that look legitimate but pose a risk to the security of their computers.

The top ten most dangerous celebrity to search for on the web are:

1. Brad Pitt

2. Beyonce Knowles

3. Justin Timberlake

4. Heidi Montag

5. Mariah Carey

6. Jessica Alba

7. Lindsay Lohan

8. Cameron Diaz

9. George Clooney, Rihanna

11. Angelina Jolie

12. Fergie

13. David Beckham, Katie Holmes

15. Katherine Heigl

ANI