Page 82 - Cyber Defense eMagazine September 2023

Instead of continuing to go down the long and winding SASE road, cybersecurity experts like me believe
it’s time to go a different route. Rather than put security in the cloud, let’s put it in the critical access point
– the web browser.

We’re not alone in this thinking. Gartner says, “By 2030, enterprise browsers and extensions will be the
core platform for delivering workforce productivity and security software on managed and
unmanaged devices for a seamless hybrid work experience.”

What is Browser-based Security?

Browser-based security comes in two forms:

• Enterprise browser – a standalone application with integrated security and centralized policy
management that replaces the existing browser
• Browser extension – a plugin to an existing browser like Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge that
delivers security services

Enterprise browsers and extensions promise a lightweight, low-latency and low-cost way of delivering
the functionality of existing security technologies like SASE.

Gartner predicts that enterprise browsing products will compete with and replace some incumbent legacy
security tools such as:

• Virtual private networks (VPN)
• Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI)
• Remote browser isolation (RBI)
• Zero trust network access (ZTNA)
• Cloud access security broker (CASB)
• Secure web gateway (SWG)

Why Is Browser-based Security a Good Idea?

The web browser is the tool used the most at work to access information, social networks and cloud-
based productivity apps. As such, it’s the tool cybercriminals target the most. Protecting traffic to and
from the web browser is paramount.

With a SASE platform, you need to send browser traffic to the cloud, which significantly impacts
performance, slowing page load times by tens of seconds compared with milliseconds using secure
browser alternatives. On top of suboptimal performance, you must also pay for SASE servers in the
cloud, while secure browsers and extensions are low-cost local applications.

Cyber Defense eMagazine – September 2023 Edition 82
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