Extending Enterprise Security Architecture via the Browser

The browser has increasingly become the cornerstone of modern enterprise productivity. But as organizations embrace cloud migrations, hybrid work, and increasingly diverse device ecosystems, the browser has also become a focal point for enterprise security challenges. How can IT leaders balance the demands of accessibility, performance, and security in such a dynamic environment?

This post explores how enterprises can elevate their security architecture by deploying a new breed of browser — one with all the needs of the modern business built in. Whether you’re grappling with cloud complexities or looking for ways to streamline your security stack, this guide will equip you with the insights you need to protect your organization directly from the browser without compromising productivity.

Why is enterprise security architecture important?

CISOs believe in the cybersecurity principle that good is not good enough. Employees spend most of their workday in a browser, accessing data and applications. The browser has become the new office and CISOs must ensure a balance between threat protection, data security, and cost.

Organizations are migrating to the cloud as part of their digital transformations. The cost, time, and effort it will take to complement these existing investments with cloud-based services, including Secure Access Service Edge and Zero Trust Network Access, concerns CISOs.

The unprecedented transition to WFH requires organizations to rely on unmanaged personal devices and home networks that lack security hygiene and allow remote access to network resources. These challenges require enterprises to backhaul users with virtual private networks to protect cloud apps.

Security and operational challenges of enterprise security architecture

Digital transformations and cloud migrations promise flexibility and innovation, but they also bring significant challenges for security and operations. Managing decentralized networks, protecting sensitive data, and keeping up with compliance demands can quickly overwhelm existing systems. These changes require solutions that not only secure evolving environments but also maintain performance and user productivity.

Performance

The increasing number of users and the complexity of implementing many security solutions can impact performance. A solution must deliver in terms of data throughput rate and scalability. Backhauling all user traffic to secure it for remote users does not allow a native experience where users can go directly to a cloud app.

Organizations require instant scale to support traffic spikes or traffic from unexpected geographies. Large organizations have more at risk and more complex networks and internal structures than small to mid-market organizations. CISOs seek integrated solutions that will increase operational efficiencies while gaining a stronger, more comprehensive security system.

User experience

While securing business operations is important, it must not compromise productivity. CISOs want real-time threat detection and prevention. This is especially important when supporting remote and mobile users. CISOs are looking for seamless and frictionless security solutions. Users should be able to do their work with the Enterprise Browser without interruptions.

Cost and integrating existing security solutions

CISOs must contend with the growing complexity of their security solutions and added costs to their ecosystems. They want to know how to evolve from just protecting web access to protecting all the different types of web applications and the corresponding internet accessible data.

Shortage of skilled security personnel

A perennial shortage of qualified security personnel means organizations are resource-constrained. CISOs must examine if their current security tool investments comply with new policies and can be integrated with a broader cybersecurity tool ecosystem.

The increasing use of contracts and outsourcing inflates costs and risks access security.

What is an enterprise browser?

An enterprise browser delivers a familiar user experience while empowering organizational control usage, web application interactions, and the underlying data. Web traffic commonly uses an encryption technology called Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), but SSL limits many inspection technologies. The Enterprise Browser maintains complete visibility of all interactions with content as a natural traffic termination point. Thus, browser-terminating encrypted traffic solves many problems with restoring full visibility.

The Enterprise Browser can function as your primary corporate browser to govern application usage, and it can be enforced and invoked only for critical applications; or, it can work alongside the consumer grade browser (such as Chrome). A browser built for the enterprise can live seamlessly alongside an existing browser.

Two major IT headaches — cured by an enterprise browser

Among the many infrastructural changes that challenge (and sometimes vex) IT and security teams, two stand out:

• Cloud migration
• BYOD and BYOPC

Enterprise security architecture offers clear solutions to both.

Headache #1: Accelerated cloud migration

Organizations have accelerated their migration to the cloud. Decentralized networks and more cloud applications are changing the way people work. Organizations continue to adopt cloud applications and storage and run more of their workloads from the cloud, thus inviting more threat vectors. They must be able to protect data and identify threats in SaaS applications. Threats that focus on web channels and the increased reliance on browsers to access applications are growing.

When working with a cloud-based service, an organization must be able to block or control access to one instance of a cloud service while allowing another. Granular policies based on the user and device profile are necessary.

The browser is a vital tool for corporate applications and services. However, the browser developed for the consumer market needs visibility, control, manageability, and governance. Organizations need additional security when users access applications through an ordinary browser.

Headache #2: Managing BYOD and BYOPC

Unmanaged devices challenge security teams, but bring your own device (BYOD) and bring your own personal computer (BYOPC) policies are often necessary organizational policies. Their implementation will only grow alongside the explosion of SaaS and an increasingly mobile and flexible workforce.

BYOD generally refers to PCs, tablets, or smartphones when the user is a contractor or another guest, whereas BYOPC refers to an organizational member’s PC. These systems became prevalent when organizations needed to deploy WFH and had limited resources. It may not be possible to install an agent on these devices (particularly BYOD).

Providing an Enterprise Browser will allow remote workers and contractors to access network resources and manage security policies.

Enterprise browsers streamline security and maintenance

Organizations need better security tools and automated systems to alleviate the shortage of skilled security personnel. IT administrators must ensure security for their organizations and cover a wide range of use cases by integrating and orchestrating several security solutions. This results in increased complexity and often security coverage gaps.

Organizations deploy various security technologies that are often complex, disconnected from one another, and (in many cases) have limited effectiveness. The shift to cloud resources has created risks when protecting vital resources.

Enterprise browsers can help to solve for both scenarios.

Enterprise browsers provide a security toolkit for IT administrators

The web browser is a common element and is a woven ecosystem of technologies. IT administrators need to gain visibility and management of browser usage. Security personnel benefit from additional security tools specific to the web browser.

A robust browser management system provides a comprehensive set of tools that give IT granular analysis and the control to optimize web application use, compatibility, and security. Enterprise-class browser security tools will help protect sensitive enterprise data from security breaches and help IT administrators manage and secure browsers across networks.

Leveraging enterprise browser technology to achieve Zero Trust Access (ZTA)

The Enterprise Browser is a unique intersection point of organizational users, essential applications, and the underlying data. Administrators can more effectively protect any web application their organization uses by implementing a tailor-made browser.

The proper browser naturally integrates into an enterprise and enables the existing infrastructure to become stronger, more effective, more efficient, and completely secure. A browser that provides visibility, management, and granular policy controls achieves ZTA.

The Island approach to the Enterprise Browser

Island reimagines the browser as the centerpiece of enterprise security and productivity. Unlike consumer browsers that require layers of additional tools to make them enterprise-ready, the Island Enterprise Browser embeds security, governance, and productivity features directly into the browser itself. This approach transforms the browser from a potential vulnerability into a robust security asset, giving organizations complete control over data, applications, and user interactions. With a familiar, Chromium-based user experience, Island ensures seamless adoption while delivering advanced capabilities like zero trust access, data loss prevention, and detailed activity insights — all tailored to meet the demands of modern enterprises.