HP and Bromium isolate unsecure browser tabs

Drive-by downloads could become a thing of the past, as HP Inc partners with Bromium to isolate unsecure websites for users of its business-grade ultrabooks.

HP Sure Click is a new browser-based security technology that aims to neutralise the risk posed by users visiting unsecure websites. Every time the user visits a new website, Sure Click creates a new virtual machine (VM) to house that session. This isolates the activity within that tab, not only from the rest of the system, but from every other browser tab as well.

The tool is designed to thwart attack vectors such as phishing, malvertising, drive-by downloads and ransomware. HP is hoping that it will cut down on user error toos, frequently cited as one of the biggest security risk factors.

"With 81% of IT security managers citing unsecure web browsers as a primary attack vector, organisations are challenged to protect themselves against this ever-evolving threat," said HP's Alex Cho, vice president and general manager of commercial PCs and personal systems.

"By partnering with Bromium to create HP Sure Click, we provide exclusive hardware-enforced security for web browsers as a standard feature, giving both users and businesses the freedom to browse confidently."

HP Sure Click is compatible with Internet Explorer and Chromium, the open source variant of Google's popular Chrome browser. The feature will be included as standard in the HP EliteBook x360 1030 G2, which launches later this spring.

"HP's philosophy and approach to security is a natural fit with our own mission to stop cybercrime and keep the Internet safe for everyone," explains Ian Pratt, co-founder and president, Bromium.

"We are thrilled about our strategic relationship, and we're excited to have Bromium's virtualisation-based security used as a platform for HP Sure Click to deliver secure browsing built into HP's world-class devices."

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Adam Shepherd has been a technology journalist since 2015, covering everything from cloud storage and security, to smartphones and servers. Over the course of his career, he’s seen the spread of 5G, the growing ubiquity of wireless devices, and the start of the connected revolution. He’s also been to more trade shows and technology conferences than he cares to count.

Adam is an avid follower of the latest hardware innovations, and he is never happier than when tinkering with complex network configurations, or exploring a new Linux distro. He was also previously a co-host on the ITPro Podcast, where he was often found ranting about his love of strange gadgets, his disdain for Windows Mobile, and everything in between.

You can find Adam tweeting about enterprise technology (or more often bad jokes) @AdamShepherUK.