Emma Watson is the favorite celebrity bait for cyber criminals trying to lure* Internet users to potentially harmful sites, according to a report.

Internet security company McAfee found that many sites use Watson to trick users into downloading malicious software or to steal personal information.

When searching for the 22-year-old “Harry Potter” actress, there is a one-in-eight chance of landing on a malicious* site.

This is the sixth time the security technology company has conducted the study, which was last year topped by model Heidi Klum.

Female celebrities are far more likely to be utilized by cyber criminals, and the late-night host Jimmy Kimmel was the only male to feature in the top 20 celebrities to be wary* of searching for online.

Others among the other big names on the list are Jessica Biel, Eva Mendes, Selena Gomez and Halle Berry.

Meanwhile, both Symantec, a maker of computer security software, and McAfee have reported that cyber crime is enjoying exponential* growth at rates neither company has seen before.

Rapid changes in the ways Internet users go online, plus advances in cyber crime techniques, are part of the reason for the rise, according to Symantec.

Their report found that one-in-five users had their mobile devices or social network profiles compromised in some fashion.

(SD-Agencies)