Chromebook Security + Cameyo = Secure Cloud Desktop

According to PwC’s 2021 US Remote Work Survey, 83% of employers now say the shift to remote work has been successful for their company. That marks a 10% increase relative to the year prior.

It’s not all rainbows and unicorns, however. With cyberattacks occurring once every 39 seconds on average, security remains a major concern for every organization. Equally concerning is the fact that workplace tech is struggling to keep up – not just from a security perspective, but also in terms of delivering a good user experience. A report from Adobe titled “2021 State of Work 2021: How COVID-19 changed digital work” found that close to half of all workers said they were likely to leave their job because of outdated technology.

The upside to all this is that workers really do want equipment & solutions that will help keep them more productive and more secure. The downside is that organizations aren’t always giving them what they need.

There could be many reasons for that. Cost is an obvious one. Or not knowing which solution will provide the best combination of security and productivity for the greatest number of users across remote, hybrid and traditional workplaces.

The combination of Chromebooks/ChromeOS devices and Cameyo’s Virtual App Delivery (VAD) solutions offer an ideal way to meet all those criteria, though.

Long renowned for their attractive price points and versatility, Chromebooks were purposefully designed to be the most secure enterprise-grade devices available. The fact that there have been zero reported ransomware attacks on ChromeOS – ever – speaks volumes. So does the fact that Chromebooks are the device of choice for many security-conscious IT professionals. 

And in a world where everyone needs seamless access to all of their apps & data from anywhere to stay productive, the combination of ChromeOS devices with ultra-secure Cloud Desktops from Cameyo provide the perfect balance of security and seamless productivity. Cameyo’s Virtual App Delivery (VAD) platform was designed with a Zero Trust security model built into its core, and it’s integration with ChromeOS provides a native feel that helps the end user simply work the way they always have. 

Let’s dig deeper into the various security benefits of Chromebooks/ChromeOS and Cameyo, and how the combination of the two could help protect your organization.  

What’s behind ChromeOS security?

ChromeOS was developed with web security as a core design principle. The entire operating system minimizes malware threats by making it harder for hackers to find a viable entry point and run malicious code. Unlike Windows and macOS, which have their roots in a pre-Internet era, the Linux-based ChromeOS provides a much more curated and contained approach to installing and running software.

There are four types of functionality that lend ChromeOS its inherent security features: sandboxing, verified boots, ongoing security fixes and what’s known as powerwashing.

  1. Sandboxing — Some of the earliest ChromeOS developers recognized that malware relied on exploiting resources outside of the environment in which it was running. That’s why the Chrome browser was developed to keep each web page as an independent process in its own tab. Data outside the browser is kept isolated, too, which helps to limit access and maintain a higher level of privacy and security than more permissive operating systems.
  2. Verified boot — Google makes sure that every single line of code that runs at startup is unmodified by malware. Should something look fishy, the Chromebook will boot in a recovery mode that’s stored in the secure processor.
  3. Security fixes — Because of the way ChromeOS self-updates, users get code with the latest security patches in an invisible and automatic process. After an update rolls out, most users will be moved to the most recent version without even realizing anything has changed—or that a particular security loophole has been closed. Rolling background updates like these are one reason why SaaS software models have proved so popular with IT.
  4. Powerwashing — If you suspect that a Chromebook has somehow been exposed to spyware or a user has fallen victim to a phishing attack, you can easily reset the device to factory settings with a simple key combination or button press. It’s called “powerwash,” and it will wipe all user data before restoring the Chromebook to a pristine state. Plus, ChromeOS also makes it easy to get back up and running after restarting.

The ability to install Android apps via the Google Play Store is another way that ChromeOS helps to protect users. Similar to other app stores, the titles on the Google Play Store have been vetted by Google and scanned for malware.

Augmenting Chromebook security (and productivity) with Cameyo

When paired with Cameyo’s Virtual App Delivery (VAD) platform, Chromebooks can become full-featured secure cloud desktops. Users get the productivity boost of being able to work with desktop-class Windows software from any location. Meanwhile, IT gets the confidence that comes from all the cybersecurity benefits of ChromeOS. And then some.

This dual benefit is possible because Cameyo turns Windows apps into Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) for ChromeOS. It’s the best of both worlds:

  • Forego the need for antivirus software. The built-in active threat protection of ChromeOS wards off external attacks and counters employee negligence. Chromebooks’ read-only OS, verified boot and blocked executables eliminate the need for third-party antivirus software. With Cameyo, all Windows software runs in the cloud, not on your endpoints.
  • Leverage granular, flexible policy controls. Through the Google Admin console, IT has full control how Windows apps are accessed via Cameyo and how native apps are installed. Admins can remotely disable or wipe devices that have been lost or stolen as well as manage advanced security functionality to protect the Chromebook fleet.
  • Eliminate the worry of outdated software. With ChromeOS, automatic updates take place frequently in the background to deliver the latest security patches. Both existing and new Chromebooks will be updated to the latest version of the operating system. And since Cameyo delivers Windows apps through a secure session in the Google Chrome browser, it mitigates the security risks even of legacy software.
  • Reduce your organization’s attack surface. Cameyo automatically ensures all HTTP, HTTPS and RDP server ports are closed and eliminates the need for VPNs, significantly reducing the attack surface. This is possible thanks to security features like secure cloud tunneling, Cameyo’s custom technology that provides a smooth user experience without compromising security.
  • Enjoy robust Google account and SSO integration. In addition to seamless integration with Google’s platforms and services, Cameyo supports major single sign-on (SSO) providers as well as multi- and two-factor authentication (also known as 2-step verification) mechanisms.
  • Adhere to Zero Trust IT strategies. By combining the strengths and security features of Cameyo and ChromeOS, organizations can maintain a strict Zero Trust security model even as their employees work seamlessly from home.

Cameyo is Chrome Enterprise Recommended

Due to its advanced security features and superior user experience, Cameyo is one of just three virtualization solutions to be named a Chrome Enterprise Recommended partner by Google. Recently Cameyo’s VAD platform has gone on to add native file system integration with ChromeOS, too, which gives users seamless, direct access to their local folders and files from within virtual apps.

The tight integration between Cameyo and ChromeOS serves to supplement and bolster Chromebooks’ native security while giving all of your users access to the business-critical apps they need. Together they give your organization proactive security and a modern employee experience with less management overhead.

“When we began our journey to Chrome OS, we quickly realized that to get more of our people on Chrome OS devices, we needed a way to deliver all of our legacy Windows apps—like our ERP system and certain engineering apps—to those devices from the browser,” said Jeremy Venlet, Network Engineer at Royal Technologies. “Cameyo provides us with secure cloud desktops where each user can securely access all of their apps from any device.”

That in turn leads to twofold cost savings. Not only are Chromebooks more cost-effective to procure and maintain, but with Cameyo in the mix you also reduce risk of endpoint security issues.

Of course, you can always take things further by encouraging employees to use a password manager, educating them on the prevalence of phishing, turning on data encryption options where available and making sure that users only install Chrome extensions from trusted sources. But as an effective foundational step against malware and ransomware, it’s hard to beat the combo of Cameyo and Chromebooks/ChromeOS.

Whether you’re rolling out a new Chromebook fleet or you’re still weighing your options, it’s never too early to start familiarizing yourself with what Cameyo can do for your organization. Sign up for your free, no-strings trial today and see how easy and cost-effective it is to equip your people with secure Google cloud desktops.

Want more details on how Cameyo achieves maximum privacy and security for users without a VPN? Simply book a meeting with our experts and they’ll walk you through Cameyo’s functionality.