Standalone Browser Extension: Data Security Without the Endpoint Agent

Most enterprise data security tools are built for a world where IT owns and manages every device. That world no longer exists.

Contractors work from personal laptops. Entire teams run ChromeOS. Frontline workers access corporate systems through shared or unmanaged devices. And every one of those browser sessions can involve uploads, downloads, copy-paste, and form inputs touching sensitive data.

Until now, getting Cyberhaven Data Loss Prevention (DLP) coverage onto those devices meant deploying an endpoint sensor first. The Standalone Browser Extension removes that requirement.

What Is a Standalone Browser Extension for Data Security?

A standalone browser extension for data security is a browser-deployed agent that provides data visibility and policy enforcement directly in the browser, without requiring an underlying endpoint sensor or full device management agent.

Unlike traditional browser extensions that function as companions to an endpoint tool, a standalone extension operates independently. It captures browser-specific events such as uploads, downloads, form inputs, navigation, and cloud account context, and applies content inspection and policy controls without any dependency on the host operating system.

For organizations managing contractor fleets, ChromeOS environments, or any device outside their standard management perimeter, a standalone browser extension extends security coverage to places a full agent deployment cannot reach.

Why the Endpoint Sensor Requirement Has Always Been a Coverage Gap

Cyberhaven's browser extension has, until this release, required the endpoint sensor to function. That design made sense when the goal was to correlate browser events with endpoint-level telemetry for full data lineage. The sensor and extension worked together, each contributing a layer of context.

But that dependency also created a hard boundary. If you couldn't install the sensor, you couldn't get coverage. And there are many environments where sensor deployment isn't feasible.

Unmanaged and contractor devices

Contractors and vendors regularly access corporate SaaS, submit sensitive data through web forms, and upload files to shared workspaces. These are devices the organization doesn't own and often can't manage. Requiring an endpoint agent on every contractor machine is operationally unrealistic in most organizations.

The result is a gap. Organizations can see data movement on managed endpoints but go blind the moment a contractor opens a browser.

ChromeOS and browser-first environments

ChromeOS has become a primary computing platform for organizations in education, healthcare, and distributed enterprise teams. Its architecture is intentionally browser-centric. Traditional endpoint agents either don't install on ChromeOS or provide limited value in a browser-first environment.

For these organizations, a browser-native approach isn't a workaround. It's the right architecture.

The speed-of-deployment problem

Even in environments where endpoint sensor deployment is possible, it takes time. There are provisioning pipelines, device management approvals, and rollout schedules. Security teams dealing with an acquisition, a new contractor cohort, or a rapid expansion often need visibility before any of that is in place.

A browser extension can be deployed through Google Workspace Admin or similar management tools in hours.

What the Standalone Browser Extension Captures

The Standalone Browser Extension provides the same browser-layer visibility and control that Cyberhaven customers rely on through the integrated extension and sensor combination, now available without the sensor dependency.

Uploads, downloads, and file movement

Every file upload and download in the browser is traced and subjected to content inspection. The extension identifies what data is moving, where it's going, and whether the destination is a corporate or personal cloud account.

That cloud account context, distinguishing corporate from personal usage, is one of the most operationally significant signals in browser-based DLP.

Form inputs and data processing

The extension captures data entered into browser-based forms, including web applications where sensitive information is submitted directly into a third-party interface. This matters for AI tools, SaaS platforms, and any workflow where data leaves the organization through a form rather than a file.

AI prompt evaluation

When employees submit data into AI tools through the browser, the Standalone Browser Extension evaluates those inputs for sensitive content. This is the same AI security capability available in the full sensor-plus-extension deployment, now extended to unmanaged devices.

Navigation and cloud account visibility

The extension tracks navigation events to provide context around browser-based data movement. Combined with cloud account identification, this gives security teams a clear picture of where users are going in the browser and whether their activity involves corporate or personal accounts.

Managed from the Same Cyberhaven Interface

One of the most operationally important details about the Standalone Browser Extension is where it lives in the management experience. It is managed from the same sensor management interface used for endpoint deployments.

This means organizations running a mix of managed endpoints (with the full sensor and extension) and unmanaged or ChromeOS devices (with the Standalone Browser Extension) see everything in one place. There is no secondary console, no separate policy set, and no additional workflow for teams to manage.

Coverage gaps close without creating operational complexity.

How the Standalone Browser Extension Extends Cyberhaven DLP

The Standalone Browser Extension is part of Cyberhaven's broader approach to DLP: Trace data wherever it moves, apply content inspection at each transfer point, and enforce policy based on what the data is and where it's going, not just where the device sits on the network.

For organizations that have already deployed Cyberhaven on managed endpoints, the Standalone Browser Extension fills the last remaining blind spot: the browser sessions happening on devices outside the management perimeter.

For organizations that are new to Cyberhaven, it provides an entry point. Deploy to the browser first, get real data movement visibility within hours, and expand to the full endpoint sensor when the time is right.

Both paths lead to the same outcome: data security coverage that reflects how employees actually work, not how IT wished they worked.

The Standalone Browser Extension is available now. Organizations can extend DLP coverage to unmanaged devices, ChromeOS environments, and contractor fleets without waiting for endpoint deployments to catch up.

Learn more about the Standalone Browser Extension with our interactive product launch.

Understand how Cyberhaven DLP takes an AI-native approach to secure data wherever it lives and moves.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Standalone Browser Extension require any endpoint software?

No. The Standalone Browser Extension operates without the Cyberhaven endpoint sensor. It connects to the Cyberhaven platform directly through the browser, making it deployable on any device where a supported browser can be installed, including unmanaged devices and ChromeOS.

Can the browser extension protect data entered into AI tools?

Yes. When employees use browser-based AI tools, the Standalone Browser Extension evaluates inputs for sensitive content and applies the same policy controls available in the full sensor-plus-extension deployment. This includes prompt evaluation to prevent sensitive data from being submitted to external AI models.

How is the Standalone Browser Extension deployed?

The extension is deployed through standard browser management tools, such as Google Workspace Admin for Chrome environments. For organizations managing ChromeOS devices or contractor fleets through existing Google infrastructure, this means coverage can be extended to new devices quickly, without provisioning a separate agent.

Is the Standalone Browser Extension managed separately from endpoint deployments?

No. It is managed from the same sensor management interface used for Cyberhaven's endpoint deployments. Organizations with a mix of managed and unmanaged devices see all coverage and activity in one place.