In today’s 24/7, always-on business environment, organizations must maintain constant vigilance when it comes to security, both inside and outside the corporate firewall. Two common paths for attack are through web applications and web browsers.
Citrix Secure Browser service protects corporate network from browser-based attacks by isolating web browsing from the corporate network. Users need internet access to be productive, right? You have to ensure that their browsing activities don’t compromise network security, right? With Citrix Secure Browser service, you can achieve those. This service can be used standalone as well as integrated with your existing Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops solution.
What Are the Service’s Strengths?
- Web isolation: Citrix Secure Browser completely redirects internet browsing activities to a cloud-hosted web browser, adding layers of security. Now your user’s risky internet browsing actions are separated from the corporate network.
- Clientless configuration: Citrix Secure Browser integrates with Citrix Workspace app for HTML5 to securely and transparently display the web application in the cloud-hosted, virtual web browser.
- Completely integrated cloud service solution: Citrix Secure Browser is available as a fully hosted Citrix Cloud service. It can be set up in minutes and seamlessly integrates with Citrix StoreFront to showcase the new isolated web browser instance side-by-side with your published applications.
- Simplicity: No configuration is required at the user’s device. There’s no administrative overhead and no extensive investments. Configurations are within the customer’s data center.
- Speed: Deployment time is measured in minutes, not days.
What Are the Use Cases?
For IT organizations that subscribe to web apps exclusively, there is no guarantee that all SaaS or web-based applications will function correctly with all browsers, and there is no guarantee that they won’t leave remnants of non-public data on the local machine.
Certainly, many corporate IT departments are moving towards SaaS and web-based apps. Tools such as HR and CRM software and CRM are common applications that users access from a browser. Access the web site, log in, do your work, and log out. Any user can access it from any device that has a browser, so it’s easy and secure, right? Not always. There are two key reasons why Citrix Secure Browser may be required: endpoint security and browser compatibility.
Security
Of course, SSL ensures that data between the endpoint and the web site is secured. But that doesn’t mean that users always log out gracefully or that web sites don’t deposit bits of data on the local device. How often do users see these types of notices like these when exiting personal banking web sites?
- We recommend that you close your browser when you have finished your online session.
- The account information screens that you just viewed will remain in your browser’s memory until the browser is closed.
Although not used as much these days, Java, Flash, and Silverlight have each been subject to security vulnerabilities, and users might not update these plug-ins regularly. By default, local browsers don’t take advantage of private browsing, wherein history, temporary internet files, and cookies would otherwise be deleted automatically. Although each browser provides configuration options that control tracking protection, installation of add-ons, and logins, most users never modify the default configuration of their favorite browser. As a result, data may be unknowingly stored on the local device.
With Citrix Secure Browser service, you have an easy-to-use cloud service that ensures IT administrators can offer their users a high-quality internet access experience without sacrificing security.
Browser Compatibility
Users typically have a preferred browser and may not even have other browsers installed on their endpoints. Currently, Google Chrome has the highest market share, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that all web-based apps are compatible with Chrome, much less every version of it. Some applications even require specific versions of Java, Flash, and/or Silverlight, and these plug-ins can be a cause of frustration because users typically don’t understand the related error messages or non-performance. For example, a user’s preferred browser is Mozilla Firefox but the application is compatible with only Microsoft Internet Explorer. Citrix Secure Browser displays the Internet Explorer-compatible application as a tab within the Firefox browser.
It’s Easy!
Citrix Secure Browser is available, fully hosted, on Citrix Cloud. It includes all the management components to provide your users with access to the secure browser; however, this is an end-to-end web isolation solution. Unlike any other Citrix Cloud service available today, the Citrix Secure Browser standard service includes all the associated cloud IaaS used to host the isolated web browser.
You can set up Citrix Secure Browser service in minutes and integrate it seamlessly with an on-premises instance of Citrix StoreFront to showcase the new isolated web browser instance side-by-side with your published XenApp applications or XenDesktop VDI instances.
To see for yourself just how easy it is to get going with the Secure Browser service — in less than 10 minutes — please watch the video below and check out this guide for getting started.
The next time you are trying to access crucial but potentially harmful information through a web browser, consider the security implications. This will help you avoid compromising your identity. Citrix Secure Browser keeps your information safe and allows you to quickly and securely track down vital information.
Learn more about Secure Browser Standard Service and start your trial today, and get started making the world a little more secure!
— Deepika C Shet, Customer Success Manager and Navneet Nautiyal, Customer Success Manager.
