Comparing Browser Security vs. VDI

Seraphic is an innovative browser agent that seamlessly deploys into any traditional or AI browser, instantly turning it into a Secure Enterprise Browser (SEB).

What is Seraphic Secure Enterprise Browser

Seraphic’s Secure Enterprise Browser is powered by native JavaScript Agent (JSA) enforcement, giving precision, pre-execution, and runtime control inside the browser. Seraphic stops zero and n-day exploits, advanced phishing, token/session theft, in-session exfiltration, and data loss before it happens – with no workflow change. Seraphic is injected into existing browsers or offered as a hardened browser for BYOD/contractors. The lightweight, policy-driven JavaScript component operates in the page context to govern web APIs and data paths in real-time, enabling prevention, not just detection. It augments the existing browser with an injected, standards-compliant JSA, preserving native behavior and UX, with near-zero latency.

What is Virtual Desktop Infrastructure

VDI is a technology that hosts desktop environments on centralized servers, either in on-premises datacenters or the cloud. Those desktop-environments then get delivered to users’ endpoint devices, such as PCs, laptops, or thin clients. In a typical VDI setup, each user connects to a dedicated virtual machine that hosts their desktop, applications, and all the settings that come with them. IT administrators will centrally manage these environments, which can be accessed from anywhere.

VDI causes shortfalls in:

Security Challenges

VDI sessions can still be compromised by malware, phishing, or credential theft originating at the user level. The illusion of perfect security is misleading, especially for remote or BYOD users.

Complex Management

Implementing and maintaining VDI requires specialized knowledge and ongoing training. Managing servers, networks, endpoints, permissions, and patching is often more complex than many IT teams anticipate.

High Costs

The technology and HR cost for VDI projects is significant. Enterprises must invest in servers, storage, licenses, network upgrades, and thick or thin client hardware. Projects can run for months, and budgets swell.

Dependency on the Internet

VDI environments depend entirely on fast, stable internet. Latency, downtime, and network outages hinder productivity and access for global teams.

User Experience and Performance Issues

Heavy applications like graphics, video conferencing, and analytics tools often experience lag, latency, and degraded performance on VDI.

Single Point of Failure Risk

If the central VDI server or underlying infrastructure goes down, every dependent employee loses access. This makes backup and disaster recovery highly complex and critical.

Limited Scale and Flexibility

Scaling VDI to new users demands purchasing additional hardware, network capacity, and licenses. This makes agility difficult and expensive.

How Seraphic Secures the Browser

Seraphic delivers native, patented JavaScript Security Agent (JSA) enforcement that adds precise pre‑execution and runtime control inside any browser. It prevents zero‑ and n‑day exploits, advanced phishing, token and session theft, and in‑session data exfiltration before it happens, with inline DLP and governance and no workflow changes. It also adds AI‑aware protections to govern prompts, responses, and model connections in web and SaaS workflows.

At its core is a small, lightweight, policy‑driven JavaScript component that runs in the page context to instrument and govern web APIs and data paths in real time. Rather than replacing the browser, it augments it with a standards‑compliant JSA, preserving native behavior and user experience with near‑zero latency.

Seraphic places a JavaScript‑based abstraction layer above the browser’s JavaScript engine, effectively its kernel. From this vantage point, it exposes execution and memory planes to enable pre‑execution control, exploit prevention, and fine‑grained data governance across any browser and Electron app—without requiring users to switch browsers.

Identity‑ and app‑aware policies follow users across SaaS and web apps, including unmanaged devices and multiple browsers. DLP is enforced inline with granular controls for fields, forms, clipboard, downloads, uploads, and screenshots, with smart redaction and masking. AI security extends this with guardrails for AI usage, prevention of sensitive‑data exposure to AI platforms, and allow‑/deny‑listing of AI tools.

Because enforcement happens in the page context, controls remain consistent across versions, and browsers (traditional and Agentic), and are resilient to upstream browser changes. The experience is user‑friendly, with inline guidance and just‑in‑time prompts that remediate issues without breaking workflows. Deployment is frictionless and lightweight, requiring no heavy endpoint agents and with no impact on user browsing experience.

Seraphic is available in flexible delivery models: inject into existing browsers via extension, embed within an existing browser build, use agentless or workspace‑level paths, or deploy a hardened Seraphic browser for BYOD and contractor use.

Area of Focus	VDI limitation	Seraphic approach
User Experience	High latency, complex setup, frequent slowdowns, and sometimes causes degraded performance	Runs security within native browsers, delivering full-speed, zero-latency experiences; No special clients or infrastructure required
Threat Containment	Infection or malware inside the VDI can still compromise the environment	Executes real-time detection and policy enforcement directly in the browser, blocking malware, exploits, and identity attacks at runtime
Deployment Flexibility	Requires costly infrastructure and ongoing maintenance; hard to scale for hybrid or BOYD/contractors	Lightweight, rapidly deployable via agent or extension; covers managed, BYOD, and third-party devices without expensive hardware or infrastructure
Identity & Access Control	Full desktop session grants broad application access; complicates least-privilege enforcement	Delivers granular access policies within browser sessions, tightly controlling data exposure and user privileges per app
Visibility & Auditing	Limited contextual insight into browser-specific events; visibility mostly at desktop or network layer	Provides deep, browser-layer event visibility, continuous monitoring, and detailed audit trails for all sensitive web activities

Comparing Browser Security vs. VDI

Understanding the Basics

What is Seraphic Secure Enterprise Browser

What is Virtual Desktop Infrastructure

Why VDI Falls Short

VDI causes shortfalls in:

Security Challenges

Complex Management

High Costs

Dependency on the Internet

User Experience and Performance Issues

Single Point of Failure Risk

Limited Scale and Flexibility

How Seraphic Secures the Browser

Comparing Seraphic vs. VDI

Take the next step

Subscribe to the newsletter

Seraphic is now part of CrowdStrike
Protect users, data and AI at the point of access in the browser – Learn more >

Comparing Browser Security vs. VDI

Understanding the Basics

What is Seraphic Secure Enterprise Browser

What is Virtual Desktop Infrastructure

Why VDI Falls Short

VDI causes shortfalls in:

Security Challenges

Complex Management

High Costs

Dependency on the Internet

User Experience and Performance Issues

Single Point of Failure Risk

Limited Scale and Flexibility

How Seraphic Secures the Browser

Comparing Seraphic vs. VDI

Take the next step

Subscribe to the newsletter

Seraphic is now part of CrowdStrike Protect users, data and AI at the point of access in the browser – Learn more >

Seraphic is now part of CrowdStrike
Protect users, data and AI at the point of access in the browser – Learn more >