Online access is essential for all modern businesses. Internet and cloud-based systems are used to allow staff to access tools and resources and can allow for remote working and improved connectivity.
However, online systems also come with their own unique risks and security threats. Many of these can prove catastrophic for businesses and can lead to the loss of sensitive data and information or even money. As a business owner, the security of your company should be your number one priority. Browser isolation is one of the most important browser security solutions for businesses. Let’s take a look at browser isolation in more detail and review its key features.
What is Browser Isolation?
When a user browses an online system, they are often at risk of threats such as malware. If malware was to inadvertently be downloaded by a user into a system, the malicious software could spread and wreak havoc in a number of ways. Businesses who see their systems infected by malware could suffer significant data loss and have operations seriously disrupted.
How can users be protected against such a potent threat? One of the most effective ways to do so is through what’s known as browser isolation. Browser isolation essentially provides a buffer zone between a network and the user, protecting them against any potential infection by malicious code or software.
Cloud-Based Browser Isolation
Perhaps the most secure type of browser isolation is called cloud-based or remote browser isolation. When a user visits a website, code must be downloaded from third party sources for website information to be displayed to that user. This comes with a risk, as malware can often be hidden in this code and can infect the user’s device when they visit that particular page.
With cloud-based browser isolation, all downloaded code and content is executed on a remote cloud server rather than on the user’s device. There it can be scanned for any potential threats before being streamed back to the user’s device for them to view.
On-Premises Browser Isolation
An alternative to cloud-based browser isolation is on-premises browser isolation. This method acts in a similar fashion to cloud-based options, but rather than using a remote cloud server, website code is isolated and executed on a secure server located in the local network. This can allow for greater control as the server is part of the local network and can offer businesses greater privacy.
Client-Side Browser Isolation
With client-side browser isolation, website code is still downloaded onto the user’s device, but it is executed inside a virtualized or sandboxed system. In doing this, any harmful or dangerous code is separated from the local network and can be identified before it has the chance to spread and cause damage. Virtualisation and sandboxing work in similar ways, they both make use of virtual machines, which is a software-based replica of a computer based within the computer itself. By running code inside one of these virtual machines, malware can be detected and removed before it can infect the physical device.
Conclusion
Cybercrime is an ever-present threat to modern businesses. It can have catastrophic consequences that some companies can never recover from. There are various methods and strategies available that businesses can employ to protect themselves against cybercrime. With browser isolation, you can protect users from coming into contact with malicious code and software that could infect devices and wider networks. It’s essential you make yourself aware of the different types and features of browser isolation, including, cloud-based, on-premises, and client-side isolation methods, so that you can safeguard your business as you move forward.
