Online Search For These Superheroes May Lead Consumers To Dangerous Virus And Malware
Intel Security released its 3rd annual Most Toxic Superheroes list, with Aquaman coming in at number 1. The King of Atlantis reclaims the top spot since the company’s inaugural list in 2013.
Intel Security conducted research on the comic universe’s top heroes to learn which searches may be leading consumers to viruses, malware and other inappropriate content that can be considered dangerous, can compromise private information or infect their devices.
As movie studios continue to announce plans to create films and TV series based on comic fans’ favorites – including Aquaman, Doctor Strange and Iron Fist – the study’s results explain why sites that feature these popular superheroes have the potential to be targeted by cybercriminals. They are aware that people are surfing for these characters, giving cybercriminals ample opportunity to steal innocent people’s personal information.
The top 10 superheroes most likely to affect online surfers this year are:
Intel Security’s Top 10 Most Toxic Superheroes*:
1. Aquaman 20.00%
2. Iron Fist 19.69%
3. Wolverine 19.58.%
4. Wonder Woman 19.38%
5. Doctor Strange 19.17%
6. Daredevil 18.96%
7. Tie:The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 18.85%
8. Catwoman 18.65%
9. Green Lantern 18.44%
10. Batman 18.33%
*% indicates chance of landing on a website that has tested positive for online threats such as spyware, adware, spam, phishing, viruses or other malware.
List Highlights Include:
- Two female superheroes – Wonder Woman and Catwoman – make it into the top 10
- The list is heavily influenced by recent TV/movie announcements:
o ‘Aquaman’ will receive his own movie in 2018, and will be featured in Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice in March 2016
o Disney is set to release Doctor Strange in November 2016
o Wolverine, played by Hugh Jackman, will be released in May 2016
- Last year, Superman claimed the top spot but failed to land into this year’s top 10
Comic fans and consumers can learn more about how they can stay safe while surfing online from Robert Siciliano, Online Safety Expert for Intel Security in his blog post here: https://blogs.mcafee.com/consumer/most-toxic-superheroes-2015.
Below you will find information about the study’s methodology and tips for staying protected when searching for superheroes online.
Tips to Stay Protected:
- Be suspicious: Be wary of searches that turns up a link to free content or too-good-to-be-true offers
- Be cautious: Cybercriminals set up malicious, fake sites that will include inappropriate content and malware particularly for hot topics
- Read before you click: Look for misspellings or other clues that the link may direct you to a phony website or contain viruses that will corrupt your device
- Protect yourself: Use comprehensive security that is up to date with a safe search tool to identify risky websites in search engine results
