PayPal Plans To Ban Unsafe Browsers

Alternative Details brings news that PayPal is developing a plan to stop users from accessing its financial services if they aren't using browsers with anti-phishing protection. PayPal is recommending the use of blacklists, anti-fraud warning pages, and EV SSL certificates. Browsers without anti-phishing features will be considered "unsafe." It seems likely Safari will be included in this category given PayPal's warning about the Apple browser last month. "'At PayPal, we are in the process of reimplementing controls which will first warn our customers when logging in to PayPal of those browsers that we consider unsafe. Later, we plan on blocking customers from accessing the site from the most unsafe--usually the oldest--browsers,' he declared. Barrett only mentioned old, out-of-support versions of Microsoft's Internet Explorer among this group of 'unsafe browsers,' but it's clear his warning extends to Apple's Safari browser, which offers no anti-phishing protection and does not support the use of EV SSL certificates."

Comments

Unsafe for any user.

[Mactrope]

So you just want to ignore the whole botnet thing that's creates the opportunity to screw up? That's a bad idea because everyone makes mistakes. Some make fewer than others but everyone will fail given enough chances. This also points out the futility of Paypal's ill advised action. The platform is insecure so their little green bandaid is not going to fix anything.

Pay Pal does not really have or they have chosen not to publish what browsers are "safe" based on actual fraud. Safari and other blocked browsers would not be at the top of that list, but any version of IE would and let's face it, IE 7 users are pushovers likely to get screwed. Windows itself is unsafe with anyuser, so the whole thing is just stupid.