PayPal to block unsafe old browsers

PayPal are to block old browsers in an attempt to improve security. In a white paper discussing anti-phishing measures, the company said, “The alarming fact is that there is a significant set of users who use very old and vulnerable browsers, such as Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 4 or even IE 3.” Unlike more up to date versions of Internet Explorer and Firefox, these browsers do not have any phishing filters. Earlier this year, PayPal advised users of Apple’s Safari to use another browser to access the internet, as Safari lacks crucial anti-phishing features such as a filter for known or potential phishing sites, and visual clues which tell users when they are on a safe site.

In their fight against online fraudsters, PayPal go a step further, proposing that the process of blocking old browsers should be a rolling one, saying that “any Web site that asks for personal or financial information” should warn users who are one release behind the most up-to-date software, and block anyone who is two or more releases behind the times. Currently that would mean anyone using IE5 or earlier blocked from accessing the site.

PayPal comment “in our view, letting users view the PayPal site on one of these browsers is equal to a car manufacturer allowing drivers to buy one of their vehicles without seatbelts.” And as those using older browsers are perhaps likely to be those who know the least about internet security, ensuring they’re using the most up-to-date software to help them is a great move on PayPal’s part.