Nikki Galrani tops McAfee's most searched Tamil celebrity list; Thala Ajith only male actor in top 5

Popular South Indian actress, Nikki Galrani has become the most searched celebrity in Tamil film industry, according to a survey published by McAfee's Intel Security. Nikki has replaced Amala Paul, who topped the list last year.

Arya, Suriya, Ilayathalapathy Vijay and Amy Jackson, who earned among the top 5 positions in McAfee's most searched Kollywood celebrity survey in 2015, have been now replaced by Malayalam beauties Nayanthara, Madonna Sebastian and Parvathy Nair, followed by Tamil superstar Thala Ajith. Interestingly, Ajith is the only male actor to-be included among the top 5 list.

The study, published by Intel Security, highlights the various ways hackers can take advantage of consumer interest around several facets of cinema news and entice unsuspecting fans to visit sites loaded with malware that can steal passwords and personal information. Accordingly, it emphasises on the risks of their online behaviour and how to best protect themselves from potential threats.

A search for 'Nikki Galrani + Torrent' results in a 18 per cent chance of connecting to a malicious website. With the increasing penetration of broadband, consumers rely on the Internet to find more information such as award and television shows as well as movie premieres, album releases, celebrity breakups and more.

"Cinema and celebrity culture continue to be synonymous with Indian consumers. Consumers are now, more than ever, streaming videos, and movies online. As file sharing and torrent use continues to grow in popularity; it's no surprise that movies are a target for cybercriminals seeking to create malicious files". said Venkat Krishnapur, head of R&D operations for Intel Security's India Development Centre.