The NordLayer team is happy to announce the launch of a new and one-of-a-kind NordLayer Browser Extension. A now-available extension introduces another layer to increase and reinforce connection and access security for web-based resources.
The extension, operating within browser limits, is a lightweight option for organizations to substitute the NordLayer desktop solution and maintain the security of virtual private gateways. Moreover, utilizing the extension on top of the NordLayer desktop solution allows connecting two gateways simultaneously.
Feature characteristics: what to expect
Simple deployment & configuration via browser
Available for Premium plan with a virtual private gateway.Â
Compatible with Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge browsers
Problem to solve: Seamlessly elevate the user experience by eliminating operating system compatibility issues with a lightweight solution that doesn’t negatively impact internet speed and performance, whichever - remote or hybrid - working setup there is, also enabling more flexible geo-based capabilities.
How does it work?
Generally, a standard connection to the internet is not encrypted if additional security measures are not enforced. Therefore, the implementation of solutions like NordLayer address such security issue. The established encrypted and secure connection to the company network protects online activities on the device level.
However, in some cases, there’s a need for an alternative solution that can replace a full Cloud VPN solution to secure connections just while browsing. Therefore, browser extensions operate as a midway alternative for non-existent and fully deployed security solutions.
NordLayer Browser Extension enables the remote workforce to have Secure Web Gateway (SWG) capabilities to access protected internet and cloud resources. Deployed on a browser, the add-on can run without or on top of the NordLayer application.
Establishing ThreatBlock, DNS filtering, or Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) features for filtering malicious websites from user-generated internet traffic enables SWG capabilities via the browser extension. This way, it protects the user, company network, and sensitive data from exposure to threats.Â
What problem does it solve?
The browser add-on fills a security and usability gap for organizations' daily challenges of various working setups. Issues like latency or solution incompatibility with some operating systems (OS) are now resolved when installing the NordLayer browser add-on.
Configured for a company virtual private gateway, NordLayer Browser Extension allows IT admins to rest assured that malicious online traffic is restricted from entering the company network only on a browser level.
From the user's perspective, the extension is seamless and intuitive to deploy and use. Being 15 times smaller than the NordLayer application, the extension runs in the background without disrupting business workflow.
Browser Extension objectives include:
Protection of the internet and cloud resources accessible by remote and/or hybrid workforces
Replace the setup of a third-party (proxy) browser extension for the end user with a login of organization-defined single sign-on (SSO) and two-factor authentication (2FA) solutions
Introduce a widely available add-on to increase online security
NordLayer Browser Extension is an SWG proxy for organizations to secure connections to web-level resources without encrypting all desktop network traffic.
Security by design
NordLayer Browser Extension defines a simple, intuitive, and effective security approach developed by NordLayer. The add-on is an alternative solution to enrich existing security features provided by the solution for online activities.
Easy to launch and quick to set up, the browser extension provides instant network security for web-based company resources when accessed via the browser.
The extension is effective as a solution alone — it sorts availability and compatibility issues of various OS. It downgrades the network's connection traffic load - but not the security - when accessing the company’s virtual private gateways, resolving latency and performance problems for the organization.
Moreover, it is a solid addition to web-level security when combined with DNS filtering and routing traffic via custom DNS and implemented with Deep Packet Inspection (Lite). Altogether, browsing security–related features and the browser agent introduces a layered security grid to the organization's network security strategy.
