The online security firm released a report this week that named the curvy Hollywood star as the top draw for spyware, malware, spam, phishing, viruses and other Internet maladies. Biel ousts Hollywood leading man Brad Pitt as the most popular search string on the Internet.
Users searching for photos or other information on popular stars are often vulnerable to phony fan sites and shadowy holding pages that come packed with dangerous programming. Meanwhile, users should surf networking sites like Facebook, MySpace and even the more staid LinkedIn with caution, as nefarious programmers like to build phony profiles for celebrities on those sites, too.
Other celebrities who attract a lot of traffic and a lot of malware include Beyonce, Jennifer Aniston, Gisele Bunchen and football star Tom Brady.
But celebrities aren't the only ones being targeted. McAfee's report recommended that users keep abreast of current events, because spammers will latch themselves onto those, too. Over the last few years, Trojan horses and other viruses have been found behind searches for Swine Flu, SARS, Hurricane Katrina and even the Virginia Tech shooting.
