Remote Browser Isolation for Secure Video Conferencing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Web conferencing sessions are vulnerable to risks from unapproved or insecure third-party applications executing on local machines, especially in larger meetings where participants may have administrative control over their devices.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of remote browser isolation (RBI) secures web conferencing sessions by running a local browser instance and a remote browser that interfaces between the third party and the local browser, redirecting data from local resources to the remote browser via direct peer-to-peer communication facilitated by Web Real-Time Communication (WebRTC).
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If participants use locally controlled machines with administrative control during web conferencing, then ease of operation is improved, but security reliability deteriorates due to unapproved third-party applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a remote browser instance as an intermediary between the participant's local machine and the web conferencing service. The remote browser runs on a secure remote server and acts as a mediator that handles all web conferencing operations, preventing direct execution of third-party applications on the local machine while maintaining full operational functionality for screen sharing, file transfer, and other conferencing activities
2Adaptability or versatility
If web conferencing allows file sharing between participants, then adaptability is improved, but security reliability deteriorates due to potential malware and sensitive information exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The remote browser serves as a secure intermediary for file sharing operations. Files are transferred through the remote browser instance on the secure server, allowing participants to share files freely while the remote environment isolates any potential malware from the local machines. The system maintains adaptability for various file types and sharing scenarios while ensuring security through the remote execution environment
3Reliability
If remote browser isolation is implemented to secure web conferencing, then security reliability is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional browser instances and redirection mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
While the remote browser intermediary adds system complexity, the patent simplifies the user experience by making the isolation transparent. Participants interact with the web conferencing service exactly as they would in a normal browser, unaware of the remote execution environment. The complexity is managed on the server side through automated browser instance creation, management, and termination, rather than requiring complex client-side implementation
Data Source
AI summary
A method for remote browsing, including: running a local browser instance; running a remote browser to interface between a third party and the local browser; sending an image of the remote browser to the local browser and presenting an image of the local browser to the third party; selecting, on the remote browser, a local resource from a virtual representation of the local resource on the remote browser; and redirecting data from the selected local resource from the local browser to the remote browser.