The latest version of the Mozilla Firefox Web browser features advanced security protections that can help millions of Mozilla users from unwittingly giving sensitive information to e-criminals. That's because the recently launched Mozilla Firefox 3 supports Extended Validation (EV) Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Certificates from CA vendors including VeriSign, a provider of Internet infrastructure services for the networked world.

When Internet users visit a site protected by VeriSign EV SSL Certificates, the 'Site Identity' button attached to the location bar changes colour to indicate the level of identity information provided, offering immediate reassurance that they've reached a site whose authenticity has or has not been verified by VeriSign.

That kind of assurance is essential on today's Internet, where identity thieves frequently lure consumers to convincing impostor Web pages. Such fraudulent pages are a common tool for e-criminals bent on stealing sensitive personal information, from passwords to Social Security Numbers.  According to Netcraft, the number of sites live with EV SSL Certificates has surpassed 6,000.

By deploying VeriSign EV SSL Certificates, online banks, retailers and other businesses can help build trust and confidence among consumers by offering them immediate and visible assurance that they are dealing with reputable e-commerce sites. In addition to the green address bar, Firefox 3 also displays other visual cues, including a new field that contains the name of the organisation that owns the site as well as the security provider that issued the certificate, such as VeriSign.

"To shield Web users from online crime rings that are rapidly evolving in sophistication and reach, more and more Web domains worldwide are being protected with VeriSign EV SSL certificates," said Tim Callan, vice president of SSL product marketing at VeriSign. "With today's release of Firefox 3, the Firefox developer community is ensuring that millions more Internet users enjoy advanced and comprehensive protection against theft via phishing and Web page frauds."