Google ChromeOS Flex comes out of beta to assist cease ransomware threats

At this time, Google introduced that its free, chromium-based working system, ChromeOS Flex, is popping out of beta. 

ChromeOS Flex will present PC and MAC customers with a cloud-driven safe working system that they’ll deploy by way of USB, and handle alongside different Chrome OS units. 

Whereas Chrome OS Flex has the identical codebase as Chrome OS, not like the latter, ChromeOS Flex might be put in on Home windows and Mac machines as nicely, opening the door to tens of millions of potential new customers. 

Since Google made ChromeOS Flex accessible for early entry customers in February 2022, there are actually over 400 units that are actually licensed for Flex, and might be managed by the Google Admin console with the Chrome Enterprise Improve. 

For enterprises, the newly launched OS provides a safe, user-friendly working system, which they’ll deploy quickly throughout a whole fleet of distant worker units to cut back the prospect of knowledge loss if a tool is misplaced or stolen. 

Standing up because the go-to safe OS 

The launch of ChromeOS Flex comes as extra organizations are struggling to take care of fashionable ransomware and malware threats. As an example, analysis exhibits that ransomware assaults rose by 92.7% in 2021 in comparison with 2020, rising from 1,389 reported assaults, to 2,690 final 12 months. 

One of many primary causes for this battle to safe fashionable enterprise environments is the complexity of distant working, and guaranteeing that worker units are fully patched towards vulnerabilities. 

In truth, 74% of IT managers say that distant work makes it more durable for workers to comply with good safety practices. 

ChromeOS Flex addresses this problem by enabling customers to handle units by the Google Admin console, not solely controlling updates for a number of units but in addition having the choice to remotely wipe or disable compromised units. 

“ChromeOS Flex offers a lot wanted safety from rising threats, together with ransomware, malware, and worker errors,” mentioned Group Product Supervisor at Chrome OS, Mike Wendling.  

 For instance, with a one-page information and a USB drive, workers throughout 200 Nordic Selection accommodations had been capable of carry 2000 beforehand compromised computer systems again on-line in underneath 48 hours by changing all of them to Chrome OS Flex, defending their enterprise from a pricey prolonged shutdown,” Wendling mentioned. 

On this state of affairs, Nordic Selection Motels managed to make use of the fast deployment functionality to cut back the general affect of a ransomware incident and restore crucial operations, that they wouldn’t have been capable of with a much less remote-friendly browser. 

The place does ChromeOSFLex match into the OS market? 

As the newest entrant to the OS market, ChromeOS Flex is competing towards some firmly established opponents, like Home windows 11, which is utilized by roughly 1.44 p.c of PCs.

Nonetheless, whereas Home windows 11 has a a lot wider person base and numerous ecosystem of Microsoft client and enterprise instruments, it’s additionally a a lot greater goal. Risk actors are always growing malware for Home windows as a result of they know the platform has a excessive quantity of customers. 

In distinction, Chrome OS Flex has the potential to supply a safe different to Home windows, not solely as a result of it’s uncovered to a a lot decrease quantity of threats, however as a result of it doesn’t assist native functions, that means that malware has restricted room harm knowledge held on the system. 

On the identical time, it’s competing towards the varied Linux ecosystem. Whereas lower than 2% of computer systems use Linux in line with TurboFuture, distributions like Ubuntu have at all times supplied enterprises and customers higher management over the functions they deploy. 

The place Chrome OS Flex has the potential to excel, is within the safety of older PCs and laptops. USB-based deployment makes it straightforward for customers to improve programs which were discontinued, which can change into extra related sooner or later when OS’s like Home windows 10 come to finish of life safety assist.