Do you spend hours searching the day away on Google? You may want to watch out.
These days, even your Google searches aren't safe. Some of those results can deliver cookies, viruses, malware, and more. "There are definitely a good number of Google keywords that are pretty much owned by spammers and hackers looking to prey on new victims," says Jonathan Weber, founder of Marathon Studios Inc. "As a matter of fact, this is how many people get infected by viruses. My family's computer was hit by Trojans twice in the last year because they were searching in 'bad areas' of the Internet."
Benjamin Caudill, founder of Rhino Security Labs, says that peer-to-peer sharing and torrent sites are also risky, with high rates of malware and tracking cookies. However, what might not be so obvious are that those searches for "free ringtones," "game cheats," and " nude" can yield some pretty nasty results. Is nothing sacred? Not if it's a hot topic. "As a whole, hackers are very aware of the news and trending topics and will put up malicious sites to pull in those looking for popular content," says Caudill. "Whether it's a viral YouTube video, poor economic conditions, or the most recent big news events, hackers have created malicious sites to draw in victims."
Wondering what could make you a target? Check out our list of 6 Dangerous Google Searches. Click the 'Next>>' link above or the images below.
