4 March 2008 @ 8:36PayPal advises to avoid Safari

PayPal has advised its customers to avoid using Apple’s Safari browser, because it lacks some anti-phishing features that some of the other browsers have. Safari also lacks Extended Validation (EV) certificates.

While these anti-phishing measures make users feel warm and safe, they are not the “end-all” of web exploitation. The only person who can fully insure one’s own security is one’s own self. It is only a matter of time before phishing sites exploit the anti-phishing measures and appear as legitimate sites.

The best protection against phishing is to not click on any links in emails to banking sites. Also do not click any link in an email that is asking you to verify your “details”. No legitimate site will send you such an email. When you need to visit a secure website, be sure you arrive there by typing the address yourself. Smart web browsing is better protection than trusting your security to a safety net that you haven’t checked for holes.