Most Toxic Superheroes 2015: Super Powers, Super Risky!

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The King of Atlantis! The Protector of the Seas and Oceans! A beloved member of the Justice League! It’s none other than Aquaman! While he is most well-known for his ability to control marine animals and breathing underwater, he is also the superhero who poses the biggest threat to you online, according to Intel Security’s list of Most Toxic Superheroes.

Superhero movies and television shows are booming like never before. They have been resurrected and reinvented with the new and improved costume designs and insane special effects we see on the big screen. This superhero craze is drawing in everyone from the youngsters, who tend to idolize the men and women of courage, all the way up to the older generations, who grew up with some form of these heroes, and everyone in between.

With the advancement of technology and accessibility, information on these superheroes can be retrieved online at all times. As a result, adults and kids alike need to be wary of the websites they use when they are accessing information on their favorite characters. While you might not think searching for one’s favorite superhero could be dangerous, you may want to take a step back and use caution before randomly clicking on a potentially harmful website.

Originally introduced as a backup feature in 1941, Aquaman has since become a prominent part in the DC universe, and a founding member of the Justice League. Fans express an admiration for his dual obligation to the citizens of the land and sea, as well as his honorable nature. Other than his abilities to breathe underwater and to control marine animals, he also possesses superhuman strength and impervious skin.

After long being the subject of ridicule for his rather interesting array of superpowers, the Dweller of the Depths himself returns to the top of the annual Most Toxic Superheroes list revealed by using McAfee SiteAdvisor having a risk percentage of 20%, close to that of the 2013 list where he came in first with 18.6%.

The Most Toxic Superheroes list is compiled by using McAfee SiteAdvisor that rates websites by risk level that contain the superhero search terms on the most popular search engines (Google, Bing, and Yahoo!). SiteAdvisor informs you of potentially dangerous websites through color coded levels of risk, from green, to yellow, to red that signal when it is okay to click, and when you should skip a particular website.

This year’s Most Toxic Superheroes are:

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Whether you are searching online from your PC or mobile device, here are some tips you can use to help you stay safe:

  • Be suspicious: Be wary of searches that turns up a link to free content or too-good-to-be-true offers.
  • Double-check the Web address: Look for misspellings or other clues that the site you are going to may not be safe.
  • Search safely: Use a safe search plug-in, such as McAfee SiteAdvisor software that displays a red, yellow, or green ratings in search results, warning you to potential risky sites before you click on them.
  • Protect yourself: Use comprehensive security software on all your devices, like McAfee LiveSafe™, to protect yourself against the latest threats.

Robert Siciliano is an Online Safety Expert to Intel Security. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Mobile was Hacked!