Dangerous celebs: Google this girl at your peril(+pics)

Actress Lily Collins is one of the most dangerous celebs to Google. Photo / AP

She is perhaps better known for a string of film appearances, not to mention being the daughter of Phil Collins.

But now the spotlight has fallen on Lily Collins for another reason altogether - she is apparently the most "dangerous" celebrity to search for online.

The actress has ousted Emma Watson who previously held the title awarded by security company McAfee.

Online searches for her name along with the words "free app download" or "nude pictures" result in more links to "risky" websites than any other celebrity, the firm said.

Collins tops a string of figures whose names are most likely to link to a website that has tested positive for threats such as spyware and viruses.

Second on that list is singer Avril Lavigne who is followed by actress Sandra Bullock.

Women apparently generate more risky links than men. American actor Jon Hamm was the only male celebrity in the top 10, according to the study.

"We have got used to accessing the latest gossip and pictures of our favourite celebrities on demand," McAfee's Raj Samani said.

"But we need to remember that cybercriminals take advantage of the latest cultural trends, new movies and hit TV shows to target unsuspecting consumers seeking more information.

"These criminals want to lure us to unsafe sites that can severely infect computers and devices and even steal personal data."

The top 10 "dangerous" celebrities this year are:

Image 1 of 10: 1. Lily Collins. Photo / AP

1. Lily Collins
2. Avril Lavigne
3. Sandra Bullock
4. Kathy Griffin
5. Zoe Saldana
6. Katy Perry
7. Britney Spears
8. Jon Hamm
9. Rita Ora
10. Adriana Lima

- The Independent