Google started it. When Google launched the Chrome browser some three years ago, one of the key security features was automatic updating. New code releases are downloaded in the background while the browser is running, and applied the next time the user re-starts the browser.
Google argues that this boosts security, compared with the splash screens and user dialogs of other browsers. Faced with the choice of (1) waiting for update code to download, waiting for the update to install, and waiting for the browser to restart, or (2) clicking “Cancel” and continuing to the page they wanted to reach when they launched the browser, many (too many) users choose option 2. The result? Out-of-date browser versions with unpatched security vulnerabilities.
Microsoft has now announced the introduction of silent updating for Internet Explorer, and Mozilla expects to bring out silent updates for Firefox in an as-yet unspecified future release.
Not everybody’s happy. Enterprise IT operations, particularly end-user support teams, will be in the front line when users find themselves unable to access a business-critical application which turns out not to be compatible with the latest version of the user’s favorite browser.
As long as users were primarily sat in front of corporate-issue MS Windows desktops, updates were under the control of the IT department. New browser releases could be tested against business applications for compatibility before being deployed to the desktop. In the age of BYOD, however, support and maintenance of the end-point environment is in the hands of the user; you can’t impose a locked-down corporate configuration on a device owned by the employee.
AirShip, the enterprise browser, has been designed to give control back to the IT department. The AirShip browser can be installed on a range of end-point technologies. It supports concurrent execution of multiple browser configurations, centrally managed and deployed to end user devices. With AirShip, the user connects to enterprise applications using the optimum browser release and configuration as defined by the system administrator. And AirShip can happily coexist with industry-standard browsers, so end-users can enjoy the latest release of their favorite browser for personal use while AirShip delivers a managed environment for professional use.
