What Is Remote Browser Isolation?

Remote Browser Isolation (RBI) is a cybersecurity solution that significantly reduces cyber threats by allowing you to browse the internet on an isolated server. Also referred to as browser isolation, RBI effectively separates web content from your device, significantly reducing the attack surface. By implementing an RBI solution, your organization can protect users against online threats, block malicious content from reaching computers and support Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA).

Keep reading to learn how RBI works, what threats it can protect your organization against, its top benefits, its challenges and how Keeper’s RBI solution can maintain your privacy and security.

How remote browser isolation works

RBI creates a separate browsing environment so that you can access web content without jeopardizing the safety of your device or entire network. Let’s break down how RBI works in more detail:

• You create an isolated browser session with RBI to view potentially malicious web content
• The RBI solution loads the web content onto an isolated browser, essentially sandboxing it from the rest of your device and network
• The web page’s rendered content is streamed to your browser as pixels rather than the active content to protect your device

By browsing on a cloud domain with a stream of a website, RBI ensures that the active content on a web page cannot affect the user’s device. For example, if you click on a phishing link while using RBI, potential malware that would otherwise infiltrate your device and possibly your organization’s network would not reach your device at all.

What threats can remote browser isolation protect against?

There are several cyber and web-based threats that RBI can protect your organization against, including malvertisements, clickjacking, Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) and Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attacks.

Malvertisements

By isolating your browsing environment and keeping harmful content off your device, RBI protects you against malvertisements, which are advertisements infected with malware. While using RBI, your device will be shielded from the effects of malicious code even if you encounter a malvertisement because it will be contained separately from your device. RBI allows you to browse the internet safely without worrying about clicking on malvertisements or having your data stolen by illegitimate websites.

Clickjacking

RBI can protect your organization from clickjacking – being tricked into clicking on a malicious website instead of what you intended to click. You can browse the internet in a secure, isolated environment without the risk of clickjacking, as any interactions within the browsing session will not affect your device. Malicious content remains contained within the separate browsing environment, ensuring your device and organization’s network stay safe from clickjacking attempts.

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)

RBI helps prevent Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks, which occur when cybercriminals inject harmful scripts into a web page. These attacks can lead to data theft and compromised online accounts. RBI prevents XSS attacks by containing any scripts from malicious web pages in a space separate from your device. This means XSS attacks cannot damage your device or steal any private information, protecting your organization’s privacy and security.

Drive-by downloads

As the name suggests, drive-by downloads happen when you visit a malicious website that downloads malware onto your device without your permission or knowledge. With RBI, you are protected from drive-by downloads because any downloads that take place within an isolated browsing session will occur on a remote server or in a sandbox separate from your device, never reaching your device and being destroyed at the end of your browsing session. This setup protects you and your organization from malicious software infecting other devices on your network.

Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attacks

Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attacks occur when a cybercriminal intercepts data sent between two individuals or businesses. To steal or alter data with malicious intent, cybercriminals depend on hacking into a network to gain unauthorized access. If your organization implements RBI, a remote server loads web pages as a pixelated stream, so no data can be transferred between a website in an isolated browsing environment and a device. This prevents cybercriminals from accessing or modifying data since no data is sent to any devices using RBI to browse the internet.

The top benefits of remote browser isolation

RBI can benefit your organization by protecting against web-based threats, preventing malicious content from reaching devices and supporting Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA).

Protects against web-based threats

Your organization should implement RBI to keep devices safe from web-based threats, including phishing attacks, spyware, ransomware and other viruses. Since every RBI browsing session occurs in an isolated environment and consists only of streaming pixels, malicious content cannot impact your organization. For example, if one of your employees visits a malicious web page while using RBI, the threats of malware infections and data breaches will remain isolated because the browsing session is separate from the employee’s device.

Blocks malicious content from reaching computers

RBI stops malicious content from infecting your devices by launching browsing sessions in a remote environment. Because web content is rendered to your browser as pixels instead of an active session, your computers remain protected from malware. Your organization’s devices have a much lower chance of getting infected with malware or suffering data breaches if your employees use RBI to access potentially malicious web content.

Supports Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)

One benefit of implementing RBI in your organization is that it supports Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), which is a security framework that maintains strict access controls and authentication regardless of whether a device is inside or outside your organization’s network. ZTNA is built on the idea that no person or device should be consistently trusted; everyone must verify their identity before accessing the network. RBI supports ZTNA by restricting access and monitoring the activity of those allowed in specific web browsing sessions, meaning your organization is better protected from both potential insider threats and external attacks.

Challenges of remote browser isolation

Not every RBI solution is created equal, so there are challenges that any given RBI solution may present. Some of the challenges you might find in using an RBI solution include:

• High latency: Data needs to travel between your device and the isolated browsing environment, which could take more time and result in a less efficient user experience.
• Large amount of bandwidth: It takes a lot of bandwidth to stream pixels, which could negatively impact performance, especially on older or slower machines.
• Expensive prices: For RBI solutions that record video content of web activity, streaming those encrypted videos requires a lot of bandwidth, which can be costly.

How Keeper’s remote browser isolation can help

Keeper’s RBI can help protect your organization from web threats, malicious content and potential cyber attacks. By using Keeper’s RBI, you protect your organization’s devices from security vulnerabilities and maintain data integrity.

Begin your free 14-day trial of Keeper Connection Manager^®, which features RBI, to experience safer web browsing within your organization.