Gartner’s 2023 Hype Cycle for Endpoint Security provides a comprehensive overview of the latest trends and advancements in the field. One area that has gained significant attention is Enterprise Browsers and Extensions which Gartner explains “deliver security services for policy enforcement, visibility, and productivity through a managed web browser or plug-in extensions.”
There are two types of Browser Security solutions that are available in the market today:
- Browser extensions: centrally managed browser plugins that deliver enhanced security, governance and productivity services. Perception Point’s solution falls under this category.
- Enterprise browsers: standalone agents/apps with integrated security, centralized policy management, visibility, reporting, productivity, and collaboration tools.
According to the Gartner 2023 Hype Cycle for Endpoint Security, “Many products in this category provide lightweight features and benefits similar to those found in SWG, CASB, ZTNA, RBI, VDI, and VPN products.” They provide a new avenue for ensuring safety without compromising on efficiency or user experience.
This blog post will delve into the key takeaways from the Hype Cycle regarding Enterprise Browsers and Extensions and their implications for businesses.
The Need for Enterprise Browsers and Extensions
As the browser increasingly stakes its claim as the center of the worker’s “corporate universe”, they are already an essential tool for business productivity. Digitization and remote work trends are increasing the user’s reliance on browser-based apps and extensions, which provide more creative ways to work and interact. Unfortunately, the browser is also a common entry point for attackers to compromise an organization’s network and data.
Some drivers as noted in the Gartner Hype Cycle include:
- Enterprise Browsers embracing the new remote-work paradigm to consolidate secure remote access for contractors, suppliers and branch locations…
- Existing security solutions often struggle to support unmanaged devices. This is an area where enterprise browsers have found early traction in the market, by providing an acceptable level of secure remote access that is able to maintain a mostly familiar end-user experience.
- Small and midsize organizations are also expected to be early adopters of this technology. Organizations with simpler environments and requirements may see early opportunities to displace existing or add new security controls with an enterprise browser as a cheaper, centrally managed option that immediately raises their maturity level.
The Gartner Emerging Tech report released in April 2023 reviews browser security use cases which include elements of data loss prevention (DLP), configuration management, logging and integration with security information and event management (SIEM)/extended detection and response (XDR) platforms, identity protection, phishing protection, security service edge (SSE) functions, and monitoring for malicious activity across downloads and extensions.
Key Features and Advantages Include:
- Prevention & Detection
- Centralized Management
- Visibility & Response
- Productivity & Collaboration
Gartner 2023 Hype Cycle for Endpoint Security: User Recommendations
The Gartner Hype Cycle for Endpoint Security report notes that “enterprise browsers represent a new way of delivering security services and receiving real time intelligence from existing security agents layered into the OS. Today, many of these products are able to deliver some important features and benefits of other web security products; however, trade-offs still remain. This gap is expected to close over time as the category becomes more mature and more partners enter the ecosystem.”
The report highlights the following for the user to note:
- Browser-based integrations may make sense in some circumstances, but having multiple points of integration will be required.
- Look for Hybrid solutions that are able to leverage browsers to securely deliver access to workforce productivity tools.
- Review messaging and promises from vendors in this space, as specialized infrastructure (proxy, secure web gateway, etc.) may still be required to address certain use cases.
- Expect an increasing number of security and productivity tool capabilities to be incorporated over time. However, the technology is still in the early stages of adoption, so individual vendor roadmaps will be driven by early market success.
Perception Point: A Leader in Browser Protection
Recognized in the the Gartner 2023 Hype Cycle for Endpoint Security for its Enterprise Browser Security solution, Perception Point’s Advanced Browser Security extension adds enterprise-grade security to an organization’s standard browsers (Chrome, Edge, Safari, etc.), fusing multi-layered advanced threat detection with browser-level governance and Data Loss Prevention controls. Easily deployed and scaled across the company via a browser extension, the solution’s unique browser-level visibility ensures safe access to websites and SaaS apps, detecting sophisticated phishing websites, malware, ransomware, and hidden file zero-days, and protects against the extraction of sensitive data, securing the organization from both external and internal threats.
The solution, powered by an award-winning detection platform, composed of seven layers and hundreds of advanced detection engines, including image recognition, AI/ML algorithms, next-gen sandboxing, anti-evasion mechanisms, and more, scans 100% of content dynamically in near real-time.
Perception Point’s DLP capabilities integrate with native browsers, providing a new layer of governance and control, with policy enforcement at the browser level. Designed solution with the intention of preventing unauthorized exfiltration of sensitive corporate information, keeping your data where it belongs – within the organization.
The enhanced browser-level DLP controls that deter and intercept malicious insiders, partners and contractors include:
- Clipboard controls (preventing copy and paste)
- Printing controls
- Configurable download/upload restrictions
- Watermarking
- Smart blur of sensitive web apps/data to prevent accidental external screen capture and “shoulder surfing”
- User activity monitoring and visibility into all installed browser extensions across the organization
- SaaS app login visibility, enabling the organization’s admins and security teams to view the usage of unsanctioned web apps
Perception Point’s fully-managed, built-in Incident Response service acts as an extension of an organization’s SOC team, with cyber security experts supported by machine learning and automated processes to ensure incidents are analyzed and content-sharing environments are secure. The team analyzes and remediates incidents, provides reporting and creates new algorithms on the fly to rapidly address new and emerging attacks, saving up to 75% of SOC teams’ time and optimizing their performance.
Read More about Perception Point’s Advanced Browser Security here
Download the Advanced Browser Security Data Sheet here
Get the The Ultimate Guide to Assessing Browser Security Solutions here
