Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Selena Gomez also dangerous.
Amy Schumer is in the headlines again and it isn’t because her book is killing it on Amazon, even though it is, or because she’s dropped a bombshell that Trainwreck 2 is coming to theaters this Christmas (it isn’t, I made that up – but don’t you wish it were true?).
Amy’s in the headlines because it was just announced that she’s the most dangerous celebrity in the world…wait for it – ONLINE!
The latest study from cybersecurity leader Intel Security found that if you search for this inspiring comedian’s name in your favorite search engine, you are highly likely to pick up an ugly STD (Seriously Terrible Digi-threat). In other words, search results for Amy Schumer could land you on a site that infects your computer with a virus, malware, or even hold your computer for ransom.
Thank goodness cybersecurity was a major topic in the first presidential debate.
But for all the Amy fans out there – fear not. She’s in good company. In fact, Amy is Intel Security’s 10th annual Most Dangerous Celebrity, with Jimmy Kimmel, Heidi Klum, Cameron Diaz, and Brad Pitt all landing the top spot in prior years. So what does this mean for you? The Most Dangerous Celebrity announcement gives great tips on how to stay safe online and avoid virtual STDs.
But there’s also good news…
Despite headline-making hacks and breaches, within this world of hackers targeting fan fervor are also organizations that spend their days (and nights and weekends) TOTALLY FOCUSED on keeping people safe online. Plenty of them are independent companies, but another one is our government. (By the way...thank goodness cybersecurity was a major topic in the first presidential debate.)
While our elected officials don’t get a lot of kudos for being thought leaders in tech, they have a few things figured out. For starters, did you know October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month? Blink and it’ll be here. That’s right, the initiative to educate our citizens about how to stay safe online is backed by the U.S. government. But why?
Take the latest AT&T commercials: A family loses their internet connection and goes into panic mode trying to “swipe” their pictures hanging on the wall, and looking through binoculars to see their neighbor’s smartphone. Nearly everyone can relate to the message – we’re lost without our connected devices.
That’s a big reason there’s now a dedicated website, developed under leadership from the Department of Homeland Security, that features fresh cybersecurity topics each week throughout the month of October. Our kids are online, our schools, banks, doctors, favorite stores – they’re all connected and storing your data in the cloud, so take the time to learn how to protect it.
We’re lost without our connected devices.
While you’re at it, consider changing your passwords to make them more secure. Sadly, the most common password used today is STILL 123456. Yes, really. Don’t be one of those people who read scary hacker headlines and feels hopeless. You can decrease your risk of getting hacked by creating strong passwords, using a password manager, and activating multi-factor authentication.
So, whether you’re searching for your favorite celebrity online, connecting to your work email account, or just trying to order some Thai food, do yourself a favor, and do it safely.