Paris Hilton is malware writer's choice-Valentino Rossi is in there too!!! Top celeb for spreading viruses
Iain Thomson,
vnunet.com 15 Aug 2007
Paris Hilton has topped the list of celebrities used by malware writers to tempt users into downloading a virus.
Security software firm
McAfee last month looked at the number of web pages with malware embedded and at spam containing virus attachments.
Celebrities are often used to invite users to click on a malicious link or attachment, and McAfee has drawn up a top 10 list.
Hotel heiress Hilton is number one, followed by pop star
Amy Winehouse and footballer
Cristiano Ronaldo.
The bulk of the list comprised pop stars and models, but seven times world motorbike champion
Valentino Rossi made it to number six and French president
Nicolas Sarkozy came in at ninth.
"The trend among malware writers is to use things that they think people will go to," said Greg Day, a security analyst at McAfee.
"Hilton was going through her
jail fiasco at the time, while Sarkozy ranked so highly because of the French elections."
There were also some local choices that made the list. Swedish Crown Princess
Madeleine Bernadotte was eighth due to her enormous popularity in the Nordic area, and Italian model
Elisabetta Canalis also polled highly.