Why you need a ‘Secure Browser’

With the mass exodus to hybrid work models over the past few years, it’s time for organisations to take a close look at something that has become both a vehicle for massive productivity gains in a new world of work, at the same time as creating a whole new attack surface: the browser.

We all know how important ‘traditional’ browsers have become in terms of facilitating greater collaboration and productivity for a dispersed, device-loaded workforce. Well, with that freedom and power has come a whole new collection of cyber security problems.

According to Omdia’s “The State of Security in the Modern Organisation,” in the last 12 months, a staggering 95 percent of organisations reported a security incident originating in consumer browsers, initiated by a file download, phishing, or other source.

In 2023 alone, consumer browsers reported 345 vulnerabilities, with a whopping 210 of those being high impact.

Even more sobering, the major browsers are riddled with CVEs (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) according to CVEdetails.com.

As of May 2024, it provided this rather grim scorecard for total vulnerabilities:

• Chrome — 3,677
• Firefox — 3,215
• Safari — 1,445
• Edge — 1,240

Palo Alto Networks ‘Definitive Guide to Enterprise Browsers’ notes that, until recently, the browser market was fragmented, with software behemoths like Google and Microsoft competing head-to-head with distinct designs and features for Chrome and Internet Explorer.

There was no easy and cheap way for an independent software vendor (ISV) to create a browser-based security solution that addressed a large swath of the market.

This changed back in 2020 when Microsoft ended its proprietary browser engine and introduced a Chromium-based version of its browser (Edge). Chromium is a popular open-source browser project spearheaded by Google.

Microsoft’s adoption helped drive industry consensus and standardisation around Chromium, breaking down barriers for enterprise browser solutions.

The SASE-factor

As you’d expect, Secure Access Service Edge, or SASE-native enterprise browser solutions raised this category to a new level, eliminating security gaps found in basic enterprise browsers and consumer browsers.

With a Chromium based, SASE-native enterprise browser, organisations can establish a secure, web-based workspace that controls access to sensitive corporate data across SaaS, web, and private applications according to user identity, device posture, and location.

Now all of a sudden, CISOs, CIOs and other tech leaders who are on the ball and have responsibility for cyber security in today’s hybrid, highly dispersed and edge-focussed world, are no longer talking about what needs to be done to build better protections into traditional browsers, rather how to best select, deploy and support so -called ‘enterprise browsers’.

What is an Enterprise Browser?

Enterprise browsers ( or secure browsers) are Internet browsers that are able to be centrally managed by an organisation, as distinct from consumer browsers like Firefox, Safari, or Chrome, which individual users manage.

Enterprise browsers are typically used to secure access to business applications from unmanaged devices used by remote/hybrid workers and third parties.

They are increasingly being used as a complete replacement for consumer browsers. Enterprise browsers provide robust security, last-mile DLP, and visibility in the browser, offering detailed content and context-based controls.

Top 10 Enterprise Browser Benefits

The primary benefits of a secure browser is related to reducing risk, reducing costs, and increasing productivity.

1. Extend protection to unmanaged endpoints
2. Block phishing attempts and access to malicious domains and unapproved sites
3. Prevent account takeover with credential protection and conditional access enforcement
4. Offer deep visibility into browser activities for security, forensics, and regulatory compliance
5. Use URL filtering to protect against web-based threats, such as malicious code, screen scrapers, spyware, and keylogging
6. Isolate browser processes to protect systems from advanced threats, such as sophisticated malware and phishing
7. Employ anti-tampering to prevent authorized changes to applications or services
8. Reduce the attack surface by minimising browsers’ exposure to threats such as macros, scripts, and injection techniques
9. Provide full control and protection for extensions
10. Deliver a familiar user experience that keeps users from trying to bypass security

Secure browsers protect data in the following 9 ways:

• Secure data across the last mile with granular, policy-based controls, including compliance enforcement
• Control access to sensitive information based on security factors such as device posture, geolocation, and network connection
• Enforce continuous device posture checks to strictly control access
• Integrate just-in-time multi-factor authentication (MFA)
• Enable privileged access controls
• Use granular encryption for file transfers and downloads from corporate applications
• Block file downloads and uploads based on content and source sensitivity levels
• Restrict screenshotting, sharing via collaboration tools, copying and pasting, and printing
• Limit what users can do in the browser using account-based login restrictions

If you want your organisation to have its cake and eat it too when it comes to ensuring maximum staff productivity and user experience, but without the security risks, management hassles and worry, then you need to start the conversation about which enterprise browsers are right for you and how to deploy them. Email here to get in contact with one of Enablis’ security experts.