As organizations evolve toward a SaaS-first world and hybrid work becomes the norm, securing the browser has become an increasingly urgent priority. For many years, DNS filtering (like Cisco Umbrella) and content filtering through proxies have been the go-to solutions for managing web access and protecting against online threats.

However, while these traditional web filtering solutions have been effective in specific scenarios, they are no longer sufficient in today’s modern, browser-centric workplace. The browser is no longer just a tool to access websites—it has become the workspace for employees, where sensitive data is accessed, modified, and shared. This shift in the way browsers are used means that legacy DNS and proxy-based filtering tools have significant blind spots.

Let’s explore why traditional web filtering solutions fall short and why Keep Aware’s browser security solution is built for the modern threat landscape.

The Evolution of Web Filtering: DNS and Proxies

DNS filtering tools like Cisco Umbrella and OpenDNS have been staples in enterprise security for years. These tools work by monitoring and filtering requests at the DNS level, blocking access to malicious websites based on domain reputation. This method is simple and efficient for preventing access to known bad sites but lacks the ability to see what happens once the user enters a legitimate website, particularly in SaaS applications.

On the other hand, content filtering through proxies, which is commonly used in SASE architectures, proxies traffic to analyze and control what content users access. While this adds an extra layer of protection by inspecting traffic in real time, proxy solutions still focus on network-level activity rather than what happens inside the browser.

Both approaches provide value but leave critical blind spots—the browser itself. This is where the modern workforce spends 90% of their time, interacting with sensitive data, switching between work and personal accounts, and using a wide array of SaaS applications.

The Shortcomings of DNS and Proxy-Based Filtering

Traditional web filtering methods, while useful, fail to address the complex threats happening directly in the browser:

1. No context into personal vs. work accounts
DNS and proxy filters don’t have the visibility to distinguish between personal and work accounts in browser-based applications like Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or Salesforce. Employees can log in to both personal and corporate accounts, but DNS filtering can't detect which account is being used or how sensitive data is handled.

2. Lack of visibility into in-browser activities
Both DNS and proxy filtering monitor traffic, but they miss critical in-browser actions such as file uploads, downloads, copy-pasting of sensitive information, and interactions within SaaS applications. This leaves organizations vulnerable to data leakage and insider threats that bypass network-level controls.

3. Blind spots in extension management
With the rise of browser extensions, employees can install tools that enhance productivity—but these same extensions can also be exploited to steal data or introduce malware. DNS and proxy filtering tools have no control over extension management, leaving this attack vector unaddressed.

4. Attackers evade SWGs
Many attacks bypass Secure Web Gateways (SWGs) through clever social engineering tactics or by reconstructing attacks inside the browser itself. Without visibility into the DOM-tree and JavaScript-level activity, these attacks can go undetected. Proxy-based filters fail to inspect web pages at this granular level, allowing sophisticated phishing and malware attacks to unfold unnoticed.

Why Keep Aware is Different

Keep Aware offers a browser-native security solution that addresses these gaps directly. By operating within the browser, Keep Aware goes beyond simple traffic monitoring and provides deep visibility and control over browser-based threats.

1. Real-time browser context
Unlike DNS and proxy filters, Keep Aware monitors the browser in real time, identifying when users switch between personal and work accounts and applying the appropriate security policies to prevent data leakage. This granular control is essential in ensuring that employees’ use of personal accounts doesn’t put corporate data at risk.

2. Detailed tracking of browser activities
Keep Aware tracks in-browser actions like file uploads, downloads, copy-pasting, and other interactions that traditional filtering tools miss. This means that organizations have full visibility into sensitive data movements, helping to prevent unintentional or malicious data exfiltration.

3. Extension management and control
Keep Aware provides extension visibility and management, allowing security teams to monitor and control which extensions are installed and used within the browser. Malicious or unapproved extensions can be blocked or disabled in real time, closing a critical gap in security that DNS and proxy filters fail to cover.

4. Deep inspection to block advanced attacks
Keep Aware performs DOM-tree and JavaScript-level analysis, giving it the ability to detect advanced phishing and malware campaigns reconstructed within the browser. This granular inspection stops sophisticated attacks in real time, preventing threats that bypass traditional SWGs and proxy filters.

Closing the Gaps with Browser Security

In a post-perimeter world, where employees access corporate resources from anywhere, relying solely on DNS filtering or proxy-based solutions leaves too many gaps. Web filtering methods that focus on network-level traffic miss what’s happening inside the browser—where sensitive data is handled, manipulated, and shared. As the browser becomes the main workplace for employees, ensuring in-browser security is essential to protecting your enterprise from modern threats.

Keep Aware offers a solution that works within the browser, providing real-time protection against phishing, data leakage, and browser-specific threats like malicious extensions and zero-day vulnerabilities. This makes it a critical tool for organizations that want to secure the workspaces employees use every day without disrupting productivity.

Final Thoughts

DNS filtering and proxy-based web filtering are valuable tools, but they aren't built for the browser-first world we now live in. Keep Aware fills the gap by providing real-time visibility and control within the browser, protecting your organization from the inside out. As browser-based threats continue to evolve, so must your security approach—Keep Aware ensures you stay ahead of these challenges, securing your most critical digital workspace.

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