Government & Public Sector's Browser Management Crisis: Why Standard Browsers Leave Agencies Vulnerable—and How Kahana's Oasis Enterprise Browser Provides the Solution

The government and public sector are undergoing a profound digital transformation. Cloud adoption, hybrid work models, and the digitization of citizen services have made web browsers the primary interface for accessing sensitive data, internal applications, and public-facing portals. However, the widespread use of standard browsers that offer little to no centralized management is creating significant security blind spots. These gaps hinder security teams' ability to quickly detect and respond to cyber threats, resulting in increased operational costs, data leaks, and heightened exposure to sophisticated browser-based attacks.

Investing in a secure, enterprise-grade browser like Kahana's Oasis is critical for government agencies aiming to safeguard sensitive information, ensure regulatory compliance, and enable a productive workforce in today's evolving threat landscape. As we explored in our analysis of enterprise browser adoption, these solutions are becoming essential for organizations embracing modern work practices.

The Expanding Attack Surface in Government Browsing

Browsers as the New Frontline

Government employees, contractors, and third-party partners now access critical systems and sensitive data primarily through web browsers. This shift has expanded the attack surface, enabling threats like phishing, malware delivery, and credential theft. A 2025 study found that 44% of federal cyberattacks involved browser vulnerabilities, with adversaries exploiting unpatched extensions and misconfigured cloud access, as detailed in CISA's 2024 advisory.

Real-World Government Cyber Incidents

Salt Typhoon Campaign (2024)

Chinese state-sponsored actors exploited CVE-2023-46805 (Ivanti Connect) and CVE-2021-26855 (Microsoft Exchange) to infiltrate U.S. telecommunications and government networks. The group harvested browser histories, session cookies, and credentials to pivot into law enforcement wiretap systems and geolocation databases. CISA first detected anomalous activity on federal networks in early 2024 but initially misattributed it to unrelated campaigns, as reported by Nextgov. The breach exposed call metadata for 1 million+ individuals, including high-profile political figures, according to Hogan Lovells' analysis.

This incident demonstrates why organizations need robust zero trust security approaches, particularly when managing third-party access and supply chain risks.

U.S. Treasury Department Breach (2024)

Attackers compromised BeyondTrust's SaaS platform via a stolen API key, gaining browser-based access to Treasury workstations. The breach exposed 3,000+ unclassified documents, including internal communications about sanctions policy. Third-party technical support tools with weak session timeout policies allowed persistent access, as detailed in TechTarget's coverage.

This attack highlights why organizations should consider modern alternatives to traditional VPN and VDI solutions, which often create security blind spots.

Florida Department of Health Ransomware (2024)

The RansomHub group stole 100 GB of PHI, including Social Security numbers and medical records, after exploiting unpatched Chrome vulnerabilities. Attackers used weaponized PDFs disguised as public health advisories to deliver SocGholish malware, which harvested saved credentials from Edge and Firefox browsers, as reported by Extract Systems. Birth/death certificate systems were disrupted for weeks, forcing manual processing of 8,000+ records daily.

MOVEit Transfer Supply Chain Exploit (2023–2024)

The Cl0P ransomware group exploited CVE-2023-34362, a SQL injection flaw in Progress Software's MOVEit platform, to breach the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Energy (DOE). Attackers deployed the LEMURLOOT web shell to exfiltrate 4.7 million records, including Medicare claims and grant application data, as detailed in CISA's advisory. Fourth-party risks emerged when subcontractors like Zellis were compromised, cascading breaches to 2,700+ organizations globally, according to Cybersecurity Insiders.

Why Standard Browsers and Patchwork Solutions Fall Short

Limitations of Popular Browsers

Browsers such as Chrome and Edge, even when deployed via chrome web download or edge enterprise download, are primarily designed for consumer use or general enterprise environments. While they offer some management capabilities through extensions and group policies, these are often insufficient for the high-security, compliance-driven government environment.

Fragmented Security and Visibility

• Policy Inconsistency: Without centralized management, enforcing uniform security policies across thousands of users and devices is nearly impossible.
• Extension Risks: Unmanaged or malicious browser extensions can introduce vulnerabilities and data leakage.
• Delayed Threat Response: Security teams lack real-time visibility into browser activity, delaying detection and mitigation of attacks.
• Manual Compliance Efforts: Auditing and reporting are labor-intensive, increasing the risk of non-compliance.

How Kahana's Oasis Enterprise Browser Secures Government Browsing

Zero-Trust Security Architecture

Oasis enforces continuous identity verification and least-privilege access for every browsing session. Even if credentials are compromised, lateral movement and privilege escalation are prevented through real-time risk assessments. This approach aligns with our zero trust security framework, providing comprehensive protection for government agencies.

Granular Content Security Policies

Strict resource loading rules limit connections to HTTPS and same-origin, blocking unauthorized scripts, frames, and form submissions. This prevents common browser exploits like cross-site scripting (XSS) and clickjacking.

Advanced Certificate and Mixed Content Management

Oasis ensures robust SSL/TLS validation, alerts users to potential man-in-the-middle attacks, and automatically upgrades HTTP connections to HTTPS, eliminating mixed content vulnerabilities.

Real-Time Threat Detection and AI-Driven Content Filtering

Leveraging threat intelligence and behavioral analysis, Oasis blocks access to phishing sites, malicious downloads, and suspicious URLs before they can compromise systems.

Centralized Management and Compliance Automation

IT teams can deploy, update, and manage Oasis across the organization using familiar workflows. Comprehensive audit logging supports rapid incident response and regulatory compliance with federal standards.

Workforce Enablement and Productivity

Oasis offers AI-powered workspace organization, multi-view site navigation, and natural language commands, enhancing user productivity while maintaining strict security controls. As detailed in our enterprise browser solution overview, these features help government agencies balance security with productivity.

Real-World Impact: Mitigating Government Cyber Threats with Oasis

• Ransomware Prevention: In the Florida Department of Health attack, Oasis's strict download controls and real-time threat detection would have blocked the malicious payloads before execution.
• Neutralizing HTML Smuggling: Oasis's content security policies and behavioral analysis stop evasive malware delivery techniques that bypass legacy Secure Web Gateways.
• Securing Third-Party Access: Contextual access controls and risk-based authentication ensure only trusted users and devices can access sensitive government data, even from unmanaged endpoints.
• Audit Readiness: Oasis's automated logging and centralized management enable agencies to meet stringent federal regulations and respond swiftly to vulnerabilities.

Deciding on an Enterprise Browser: Key Use Cases for Government

• Secure Remote Workforce: Enable employees to securely access internal systems from any device or location without compromising security.
• Third-Party and Contractor Access: Provide controlled, monitored browser access to vendors and partners, minimizing supply chain risks.
• Compliance and Reporting: Automate audit trails and compliance reporting to satisfy federal, state, and local regulations.
• Incident Response: Gain real-time visibility and control to detect, contain, and remediate browser-based threats rapidly.

The Future of Public Sector Browser Security

As cyber threats evolve, the public sector's reliance on standard browsers without centralized management will become an increasingly untenable risk. The combination of complex regulatory requirements, sensitive citizen data, and a distributed workforce demands a secure enterprise browser solution that provides comprehensive control, visibility, and automation.

Conclusion

The government and public sector face unprecedented cybersecurity challenges driven by the widespread use of browsers as the primary access point to sensitive data and services. Standard browsers with limited centralized management leave agencies vulnerable to costly data breaches, operational disruptions, and regulatory penalties.

Kahana's Oasis Enterprise Browser offers a purpose-built, zero-trust solution that empowers government agencies to secure their browsing environments, enable workforce productivity, and maintain compliance. For agencies seeking to modernize their cyber defenses and protect public trust, Oasis is the secure web browser designed for today's and tomorrow's challenges.