Introducing G2’s New Secure Enterprise Browser Category

Imagine this: You are a remote-first company with employees scattered not just across your country but across the world. Your global workforce needs access to company data and resources, but you also need to ensure users' safety.

This is not an uncommon situation.

While many different solutions enforce data governance rules and manage how authenticated users can access your organization’s assets, there’s friction with adding another tool to your average employee’s tech stack. If this scenario sounds familiar, a secure enterprise browser may be part of the answer.  

One of the benefits of utilizing secure enterprise browsers is that browsers are tools​​ that everyone is familiar with. You almost certainly accessed this blog via a browser. Familiarity aids adoption, and the adoption of security tools is often a point of friction.

Secure enterprise browsers can be delivered as a standalone browser or as an extension to a standard browser. This can enable end users to continue using the browser they already use.

How do enterprise browsers and standard browsers differ?

If we already use standard browsers, why would an organization need a different type of browser or add-on?

Secure enterprise browsers function the same as standard browsers for the end user, but what makes them different from standard browsers is their advanced security capabilities and data governance enforcement.

Contrast this with familiar standard browsers. Standard browsers do have some built-in security features but typically do not offer the types of administrative controls that enterprise browsers do.

While standard browsers may advance their security capabilities in the future to close the gap with secure enterprise browsers, organizations looking for advanced security and policy enforcement features will need to look beyond familiar consumer browsers.

Secure enterprise browsers complement other web security capabilities

Secure enterprise browsers are similar in scope and functionality to other web security products, but there are some key differences.

• Browser isolation software: This type of software isolates web sessions from a user’s device. It focuses on separating web activity from the user’s local environment. A secure enterprise browser adds advanced security capabilities to the browsing environment. The user experience is the same, but secure web activity is enacted in different ways.
• Secure web gateways: This software operates at the network layer to protect an entire organization’s web traffic. Secure enterprise browsers protect individual end users and their devices.

Related categories reveal a desire for secure browsing

An examination of other security categories among products in G2’s new Secure Enterprise Browser category reveals that many secure browsers also overlap with other types of software that protect web-connected environments.

This demonstrates a desire for robust web security, particularly surrounding the browser environment.

“With the browser becoming the cornerstone of enterprise workflows, the enterprise browser security market is projected to grow rapidly, reflecting its critical role in modern cybersecurity. The rise of work-from-home enterprises has significantly contributed to this surge, as remote work heavily relies on secure and seamless browser-based operations. G2's introduction of this new category is a timely acknowledgment of its importance. This move will help businesses navigate a rapidly evolving landscape by highlighting key solutions that enhance security while preserving productivity. It’s a win for both vendors driving innovation and organizations seeking robust yet seamless protection.”

Secure enterprise browsers are an asset to a distributed workforce

Organizations must secure their web environments and the endpoints that access the web. As threats continue to evolve, so does the need for secure browsing environments. Secure enterprise browsers fill an important gap while supporting end-user adoption and ease of use for distributed workforces.

Learn more about recent security trends.

Edited by Jigmee Bhutia