SurfShark VPN released a list of the most dangerous Google searches one could do online. The search queries include popular TV shows, male and female actors, movies, and much more. Most of these search queries produce results that are phishing websites with malicious intent.
What are the most dangerous Google searches?
The internet is flooded with phony websites trying to steal personal information. One of the best ways to invite thousands of users to a phishing website is by targeting high traffic volume keywords and ranking on them. Hackers are now leveraging the power of SEO to rank high for these queries and execute cyber frauds.
Surfshark conducted extensive research on the most dangerous Google searches. The findings revealed that hackers are targeting even trivial search queries like actor profile pages and movies. Some of the are as follows:
Actors – Robert De Niro is the most dangerous actor you can search for on Google. More than 54.1 search results for the actor result in malicious websites riddled with malware and phishing attempt forms. Jake Gyllenhall and Anthony Hopkins rank second and third respectively on the list of the most dangerous actors you can find on Google. Surprisingly, Keanu Reeves is uber-popular on Google but is by far among the least terrifying Google searches.
Actresses – Kate Winslet takes the crown as the most dangerous actress you will find on Google. Over half of the total search results are of phishing websites disguised as bio websites. Margot Robbie ranks second with over 52% of the search results containing malware of sorts. Other notable entries in the list include Emily Blunt, Rachel McAdams, and Sandra Bullock.
TV Shows, Movies, and Anime
TV Shows – Love Breaking Bad and trying to look for free episodes on Google? Beware! It is the most dangerous TV show that you could search on Google. Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul’s hit TV show based on meth dealing and manufacturing has 39.6% malware-ridden search results on Google. Breaking Bad rose in demand back in 2019 with the release of the El-Camino movie. With an increase in the piracy of the hit TV show, hackers now dominate 39.6% of the total searches.
Movies – Finding Dory is a sequel to the super-popular fish movie “Finding Nemo.” But it seems to be the favorite movie for hackers to rank on google. Over 46.7% of the search results contain malware. Other notable entries on the list are The Dark Knight, The Hobbit, Despicable Me 3, and the new Bond movie.
Anime – Older anime titles are not available on most streaming platforms. It compels the viewers to resort to Google searches for their favorite yet unavailable anime. Yowamushi Pedal and Dragon Ball Z Kai are the leading search terms that produce malware-ridden websites as search results.
Other Categories
Searching for pop culture celebrities and singers also point to potentially dangerous websites. GTAV is the most dangerous online game you can search on Google. The best practice to stay clear of malware is by using a VPN, checking HTTPS in website URLs, and not indulging in piracy. You can read the complete Surfshark report on dangerous websites here.
