News JVTech Despite himself, Squeezie is one of the most dangerous celebrities in France. A study shows that its name is widely used by cybercriminals
Published on 10/10/2024 at 08:50
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Every year, McAfee reveals its ranking of the celebrities most exploited by cybercriminals. This ranking gives us an overview of the methods used by hackers to trap Internet users.
A dive into the twists and turns of cybercrime
McAfee’s methodology is relatively simple, but its execution is complex. It all starts with the selection of a representative sample of celebrities, chosen based on their popularity and current affairs. These names are then submitted to a search engine, usually Google, which returns a multitude of results. McAfee then focuses on the most attractive results for the average Internet user: free downloads, exclusive videos, breaking news, etc. These results are analyzed to detect the presence of malicious links, spyware, viruses or phishing sites. Celebrities are then ranked based on the percentage of dangerous results associated with their name. The higher this percentage, the more the celebrity is considered to be “dangerous”.
Crédit photo : jcomp (Freepik)
Why are some celebrities targeted more than others? Several factors come into play: their popularity, their topicality and their image. Cybercriminals know that Internet users are ready to click on a link if it promises exclusive information about their favorite star. In addition, celebrities at the heart of the news are prime targets. By clicking on a malicious link associated with a celebrity, the Internet user is exposed to several risks: computer infection, identity theft or spying. To protect yourself, it is recommended to be vigilant, use an antivirus, regularly update your software and pay attention to suspicious URLs.
The 2024 ranking of the most dangerous personalities on the internet
- Angela
- Timothée Chalamet
- Pierre Niney
- Lena Mahfouf
- Celine Dion
- Aya Nakamura
- SCH
- Squeezie
- Thomas Pesquet
- Omar Sy
Angèle thus finds herself at the top of the list of targets favored by scammers. According to McAfee, she owes this position to her notable appearance during the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which exploded her notoriety – just like the number of scams exploiting his name, beyond fake songs created by voice cloning via AI. Just behind her is Timothée Chalamet. The award-winning actor, buoyed by the success of Dune: Part Twoone of the biggest blockbusters of the year, has seen its popularity skyrocket, also attracting the attention of cybercriminals who have multiplied deepfakes with its image on social networks.
Pierre Niney occupies third place, boosted by the success of the film Le Comte de Monte Cristofollowed by content creator and social media star Léna Mahfouf, herself a victim of pornographic deepfakes. In fifth position, Céline Dion, who moved millions of spectators during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympics, also sees her name frequently used in online scams.
