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Google Partners with EMM Firms, Updates Chrome Enterprise Security

Google has announced enterprise mobility management (EMM) partnerships to help businesses manage their devices via the Chrome Enterprise browser subscription service, according to a prepared statement.

The EMM partnerships include:

  • Cisco Meraki: Provides wireless, switching, security, endpoint management and security cameras managed through the Meraki web-based dashboard interface.
  • Citrix XenMobileOffers device and application management for mobile security.
  • IBM MaaS360: Uses Watson machine learning technology to help IT administrators manage endpoints and end users.
  • ManageEngine Mobile Device Manager Plus: Delivers a unified endpoint management console for configuring, managing and securing mobile devices, desktops and apps.

The EMM partnerships provide Chrome Enterprise IT administrators with the ability to manage and implement security policies across their full fleet of devices from a single solution, Google stated. They also enable businesses to leverage an EMM solution that complements their day-to-day operations.

Google Updates Chrome Enterprise Active Directory, Management Capabilities

In addition to the EMM partnerships, Google has unveiled several Chrome Enterprise upgrades designed to help IT administrators manage Chrome OS alongside legacy infrastructure.

IT administrators now can configure managed extensions in Chrome Enterprise via Group Policy Objects, virtual collections of policy settings, Google said. End users also can authenticate to Kerberos and NTLMv2 endpoints on their local network directly from Chrome OS.

Furthermore, Google has expanded its Chrome Enterprise support for Active Directory setups like multiple domain scenarios and enhanced its existing certificate enrollment flows with Active Directory Certificate Services.

What Is Chrome Enterprise?

Chrome Enterprise is a subscription service that provides "a single, cost-effective solution that gives the flexibility and control to keep their employees connected," Google said in a prepared statement. It was launched in August, and now, allows IT administrators to fine-tune more than 200 security policies and grant secure, authorized employee access to online resources.

Some of Chrome Enterprise's security features include:

  • Automatic Forced Re-Enrollment: Allows a Chrome device that has been wiped or recovered to re-enroll into a corporate domain without requiring an IT administrator's credentials.
  • Device-Wide Certificates: Ensures IT administrators can gate access to single sign-on (SSO) servers and authorize only managed devices to connect to these servers.
  • Per-Permission Extension Blacklisting: Enables IT administrators to restrict access to extensions based on the permissions required.

Chrome Enterprise is available starting at $50 per device annually.

Dan Kobialka

Dan Kobialka is senior contributing editor, MSSP Alert and ChannelE2E. He covers IT security, IT service provider business strategies and partner programs. Dan holds a M.A. in Print and Multimedia Journalism from Emerson College and a B.A. in English from Bridgewater State University. In his free time, Dan enjoys jogging, traveling, playing sports, touring breweries and watching football.