Productivity and Security In The Time of Enterprise Browsers

It's always challenging to predict where your next security threat will come from, but being prepared for any danger is the best strategy to adopt.

As you navigate your company through an increasingly complex environment, you must be prepared to fight intrusions online.

So, if you haven't heard of enterprise browsers, you need a wake-up call.

These newbies to the cybersecurity space have become a rage in the media and among investors by establishing their idea enterprise browser on the radars of CISOs anxious to enhance the security perimeters of their enterprises.

Island, the Enterprise Browser creator, became one of the fastest startups to achieve Unicorn status in February 2022, after obtaining $115 million in venture capital mere weeks after emerging from stealth valued at $1.3 billion .

This is a substantial sum, especially for a new firm operating in a new sector.?

But considering the magnitude and severity of the challenges confronting CISOs in the new era of remote and hybrid work, these investments aren't unsurprising.

Impact of Remote and Hybrid Work on the Development of Enterprise Browsers

The increase of remote and hybrid work teams, coupled with the explosion of enterprise SaaS software , has significantly shaped how we work and the IT infrastructures that enable it.

In this new reality, web surfing has become the primary access point through which employees conduct practically all of their day-to-day activities, from checking emails to exchanging files and managing administrative processes.

While this trend undoubtedly increased workplace productivity, it also left business security teams racing to strengthen their defenses against a torrent of insecure, unmanageable internet connections.

In March last year, Google issued a blog post confirming a massive increase in high-severity threats targeting Chrome and other Chromium-based browsers (Microsoft Edge and Brave), warning that this trend is expected to continue.

While they refer to various variables to explain the current increase in Chromium-based vulnerabilities, they also correctly point out that browsers are becoming increasingly appealing targets for malicious actors due to their rising ubiquity and complexity.

Malicious actors are intensifying their efforts to weaken web browsers increasingly sophisticatedly since they resemble operating systems in both shape and function.

Unsurprisingly, these conditions have proven fertile grounds for cybersecurity startups.

Venture capital spending for cybersecurity businesses was over $30 billion by 2021 —more than twice the amount spent in 2020.

Having discussed the above, I will now highlight the importance of enterprise browsers to businesses.?

Why You Should Use Enterprise Browsers

While there have been efforts to construct a secure browser in the past, the idea is now in the right place and at the right time.

However, we have learned from experience that promoting the use of any technology in the workplace is a challenging endeavor.

The best security systems, which stand the test of time, frequently operate behind the scenes, protecting users without their awareness.

While the secure enterprise browser is a significant step forward in today's rapidly evolving threat landscape, we can foresee more innovations in the coming years.

This brings me to the first advantage of using enterprise browsers.

Enhanced Security Features

Because third-party plugins and add-ons can be downloaded from stores in mainstream browsers, enterprise browsers can assist in minimizing third-party risks.

These third-party downloads pose a significant security risk and, in some situations, lead to shadow IT.?

On the other hand, enterprise browsers provide IT managers with greater visibility and control over which programs and tools end users can download.

An enterprise browser typically includes additional security features such as sophisticated content filtering, virus prevention, and phishing protection.

And we all know what a pain phishing is to our businesses.

An enterprise browser also allows managers to limit or disable downloads, deny access to unsafe websites, block screenshots, and restrict social media use, thus strengthening your company's overall security posture.

Enterprise browsers are designed with security in mind, making it easier for security teams to control.

Enterprise browsers can assist your company in ensuring that its Internet use complies with numerous industry compliance standards, such as HIPAA and PCI DSS , by offering simple access to granular-level controls.

Businesses can also monitor important transactions and capture essential activities using these browsers.

Finally, centrally controlling enterprise browser deployment allows IT managers to keep track of all browsers used inside their organization and enforce corporate security standards across all user devices more effectively.

Maximizing flexibility?

Given the recent emergence of internet browsing as the primary portal to work for the modern workforce, it has become critical for security solutions to reduce as much friction for the end-user as possible.

As a result, Google's open-source Chromium project (codebase for Chrome and Edge) enjoys nearly universal support.

With Chromium which allows Chrome and Edge users to import preferences, plug-ins, and other customization aspects to reduce friction at the point of adoption, SEBs can also decrease friction for end users.

With a combined market share of over 75% , Chrome and Edge are the closest to market dominance in the volatile browser business, lending credence to SEBs' decision to design their solutions on Chromium.

Statista

Bolstering Collaboration and Productivity?

An enterprise browser can help improve team productivity by providing a secure, centralized platform for team collaboration.

With a centralized platform, teams can quickly share files, collaborate effectively, and communicate, thus increasing overall team productivity.

Enterprise browsers may also include workflow optimization technology, allowing teams to track project performance and identify bottlenecks.

Furthermore, organizations can use enterprise browsers instead of a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), which hosts desktop environments on a central server.

Because of the complexity of old VDI technologies, end users have had difficulty accessing essential apps.

As a result, enterprise browsers designed with security controls are a preferable alternative to VDIs.

Transitioning from VDI to enterprise browsers will improve customer satisfaction while increasing team productivity.

So, with companies like Island making waves and even Chrome upping their game by introducing new extensions to make their enterprise browser up to scratch, we are looking to have an exciting year ahead.

Bottom Line

Moving forward, safe browsing solutions that would like to gain mainstream popularity must create an agnostic structure capable of protecting the entire online surfing vector, regardless of browser, application, or device, without overtly interfering with the end user's experience.

Simple admin maintenance and deployment will be a unique selling point for next-generation solutions competing in this growing industry in a universe of app proliferation and overtaxed IT teams.

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