Searching For Your Favourite Soccer Star Online May Infect Your Computer

Cyber criminals are using names of famous footballers like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to lure people to malicious websites and infect their systems with malware, the Internet security firm McAfee said.

McAfee has brought out a Red Card Club list that features the top 11 players whose Web pages are believed to be risky to search online.

Other names in the list include Iker Cassillas (Spain), Karim Ziani (Algeria), Karim Benzema (France), Paulinho (Brazil), Edinson Cavani (Uruguay), Fernando Torres (Spain), Eden Hazard (Belgium) and Gerard Pique (Spain).

“As is common with other cultural sensations, cyber criminals leverage consumer interest in the world’s most popular sport to lure them to websites rigged with malware, malicious codes capable of infecting a user’s machine and stealing passwords and personal information,” said McAfee.

Surfers are at risk when visiting sites that offer screensaver downloads and videos. Searching for Cristiano Ronaldo has more than 3.7% chance of landing on a malicious website.

The 2014 FIFA World Cup will kick off in Brazil on June 12.

McAfee has advised fans to be wary of content that prompts them to download anything. “Opt to watch streaming videos or download content from official websites of content providers,” it said. Free download is the highest virus-prone search term. So people looking to download need to be careful.
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