Systems and methods for securely managing browser plugins via embedded browser
Embodiments described include systems and methods for securely managing browser plugins via embedded browser. The solution enables a client application or embedded browser to dynamically load the browser components into the embedded browser based on a risk or security profile and one or more policies. The policies can be centrally managed to enable only allowed browser components to be loaded within the embedded browser for a given risk profile. Based on the risk profile, a session established by the embedded browser can be transferred from the client application to a hosted browser at a secure sever. When the session is transferred to the hosted browser, the present system can also redirect the browser component configurations to the hosted browser such that the same browser components are enabled, disabled, or modified at the hosted browser.
1. A method of including one or more components in an embedded browser for a network application, the method comprising:
establishing, by an embedded browser within a client application on a client device of a first entity, a session with a network application provided by one or more servers of a second entity;
identifying, by the client application of the first entity, a policy for the network application of the second entity, the policy specifying one or more components to change one or more functions of the embedded browser in accessing the network application via the session, the one or more components comprising one of a plug-in, an add-on, or an extension; and
including, by the client application responsive to the policy, the one or more components in the embedded browser.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing, by the client application, a component from the embedded browser that is not allowed by the policy for the network application.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising executing, by the embedded browser, the one or more components only for the network application.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the policy further comprises receiving, by the client application, the policy from a server of one of the first entity or a third entity.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the policy identifies a list of one of blacklisted or whitelisted one or more components.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein including the one or more component further comprises installing, by one of the client application or the embedded browser, a component of the one or more components in the embedded browser.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein including the one or more component further comprises configuring, by one of the client application or the embedded browser responsive to the policy, a component of the one or more components in the embedded browser.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising switching the session of the network application from the embedded browser on the client device to a secure browser session hosted on one or more servers, the secure browser session providing a second embedded browser to resume the session of the network application.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising redirecting the one or more components from the embedded browser of the client application to the second embedded browser of the secure browser session.
10. A system for including one or more components in an embedded browser for a network application, the system comprising:
a client application comprising an embedded browser executable on one or more processors, coupled to memory, on a client device of a first entity, the embedded browser configured to establish a session with a network application provided by one or more servers of a second entity;
wherein the client application of the first entity is configured to identify a policy for the network application of the second entity, the policy specifying one or more components to change one or more functions of the embedded browser in accessing the network application via the session, the one or more components comprising one of a plug-in, an add-on, or an extension; and
wherein the client application is configured to include, responsive to the policy, the one or more components in the embedded browser.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the client application is further configured to remove a component from the embedded browser that is not allowed by the policy for the network application.
12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the client application is configured to execute the one or more components only for the network application.
13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the client application is configured to receive the policy from a server of one of the first entity or a third entity.
14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the policy identifies a list of one of blacklisted or whitelisted one or more components.
15. The system of claim 10 , wherein one of the client application or the embedded browser is further configured to install a component of the one or more components in the embedded browser.
16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the client application or the embedded browser is further configured to configure responsive to the policy a component of the one or more components in the embedded browser.
17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the session of the network application is switched from the embedded browser on the client device to a secure browser session hosted on one or more servers, the secure browser session providing a second embedded browser to resume the session of the network application.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the one or more components from the embedded browser of the client application are redirected to the second embedded browser of the secure browser session.