What is the Prisma Access Browser

What is the Prisma Access Browser?

For many years, Internet Explorer was the most popular Internet browser because it shipped with Windows. However, Microsoft became complacent, and the development of the browser stagnated. That's when Google came in and offered something new: the Chrome browser. Google Chrome was based on the open-source project Chromium, and it quickly became the best browser for most users. 

Meanwhile, Palo Alto Networks developed industry-leading security services used in its next-generation firewall (NGFW) platforms. Those services include Advanced URL Filtering, Advanced Threat Prevention to protect against viruses and malware, Advanced Wildfire, and more. Collectively, they are called Cloud-Delivered Security Services (CDSS), providing comprehensive security coverage that enterprises of all sizes have relied on for years.

The simple and technical answer is that the Prisma Access Browser is a custom version of the Chromium browser. It's enhanced with the cloud-delivered security services (CDSS) built by Palo Alto Networks. This takes the world's leading browser engine and adds the security provided by the Palo Alto Networks CDSS to create something unique that can give users and security teams a tool from which they can benefit.

Why use the Prisma Access Browser?

The Prisma Access Browser began life as the Talon Browser before being acquired by Palo Alto Networks. The Talon Browser, now renamed Prisma Access Browser, works with all the plugins that work with Chrome, has the same browser-based security as Chrome, and natively integrates with the Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access platform. It acts as a gatekeeper for the Zero Trust Network Access platform (ZTNA) by validating the user, limiting access to trusted resources based on the user role, and leveraging the CDSS solutions natively in the browser to form a robust security platform. 

One lesson learned over the last few years is that security needs to be flexible. Gone are the days when all employees commuted to an office, worked, and then returned home. Now, employees work from home or work on mobile or tablet devices.  Contractors complete some work, and we also rely on vendors to assist when needed. Because of this shift, we needed a new way to offer security that would be seamless to users.  Enter the Prisma Access Browser.

How can we use the Prisma Access Browser?

Security and operations teams can use the Prisma Access Browser to reduce spending on expensive infrastructure and licensing for dedicated laptops or virtual infrastructure when users only need access to web-based tools. For example, contractors can leverage the Prisma Access Browser by installing it on their computers, allowing security teams access to secure resources. When a contractor attempts to use a protected resource, the Prisma Access Browser will secure the connection and only allow access to what is permitted by the security policy.

This is unique because no costly or sometimes cumbersome VPN connection is required to make this all work. One thing users truly despise is corporate decisions making their lives more difficult. While VPNs allow users to work from home, they hate it when they fail to connect, start installing an update in the middle of their day, or cause some other interruption to their ability to get their work done.  The Prisma Access Browser is one of the few tools out there for security teams that can make end-users' lives easier.  The Prisma Access Browser is included with Prisma Access Mobile User licenses, so there is no cost to bring this extra level of security to most users.

Final thought

The Prisma Access Browser combines the world's leading browser engine with the security provided by the Palo Alto Networks CDSS to create something truly unique. It can give users and security teams a tool that they both can benefit from and reduce costs while doing so. When was the last time end users and security teams both liked the same tool or service?