Microsoft expands Edge for business

Microsoft on August 4 added new security integrations to Edge for Business, extending the browser’s connector framework to Cisco Secure Access, Tanium and Clever. The update builds on a security connector model Microsoft introduced in April 2025 to link the browser with authentication, data protection and reporting tools already used by enterprise customers. Microsoft said the new integrations are meant to give security teams more visibility and enforcement inside the browser, which it described as the place “where work happens.” The move adds to Microsoft’s broader effort to sell Edge for Business as a managed work browser rather than a standard desktop application. Microsoft’s Edge for Business product page says the browser is designed for managed and unmanaged devices and includes controls for authentication, data security, AI use and reporting. ### Which new partners did Microsoft add, and what do they do? Microsoft named Cisco Secure Access, Tanium and Clever as the latest partners supported by Edge for Business security connectors. (blogs.windows.com) In its August 4 post, Microsoft said the additions expand the set of tools that can feed signals into the browser or receive browser-based security data from it. Cisco said its Secure Access integration with Edge for Business is designed to deliver zero-trust access to private applications through the browser. (microsoft.com) Cisco described the setup as combining its security service edge platform with Edge for Business for application access, data protection and AI-related controls. Microsoft Learn says the Tanium connector sends real-time browser telemetry from Windows endpoints running Edge for Business into the Tanium platform. (blogs.windows.com) The documentation says that data can include signals tied to password breaches, malware, unsafe site visits and sensitive data transfers. Microsoft Learn says the Clever connector is aimed at education customers using school-issued devices. The documentation says Clever can conditionally waive multi-factor authentication prompts for users signing in from Edge on managed devices, while keeping full MFA requirements for personal or unmanaged devices. (blogs.cisco.com) ### How does Microsoft say the connector system works inside Edge? Microsoft in April 2025 introduced the Edge for Business security connector framework as a way to connect the browser with authentication, data loss prevention and reporting products. (learn.microsoft.com) The company said at the time that customers would be able to use existing security investments inside the browser instead of deploying a separate browser-specific stack. (learn.microsoft.com) Microsoft’s connector page says deployments are handled through the Edge management service and are grouped around device trust, data loss prevention and reporting. The page lists integrations including Cisco Duo Trusted Endpoints, Symantec and Splunk, alongside the newer partner additions. ### Why is Microsoft putting more security controls in the browser? Microsoft has argued that the browser has become a primary work surface for enterprise users as more applications and documents move to the web. (blogs.windows.com) In product and blog materials, the company says Edge for Business is intended to secure access to work resources and AI tools across managed devices, bring-your-own-device setups and contractor environments. Arunesh Chandra, a Microsoft executive writing on the Edge blog, said the goal of the connector program is to extend “your security tools into the browser” so organizations can gain visibility and enforcement at the point where employees access apps and data. (explore.microsoft.com) That framing places the browser closer to endpoint, identity and network controls that were previously managed mainly outside the browser itself. (microsoft.com) ### Where do customers go next if they want to use the new integrations? Microsoft says customers can deploy Edge for Business connectors through the Edge management service in the Microsoft 365 admin center and then complete configuration through partner-specific setup steps. Microsoft has published separate Learn documentation for connectors including Tanium and Clever, and Cisco has published its own integration details for Secure Access. (blogs.windows.com) Microsoft in June moved Edge to a two-week release cycle, saying the faster cadence would bring new features to organizations more quickly. The company’s Edge for Business download and deployment pages remain the main entry points for administrators rolling out the browser on Windows, Mac or Linux. (blogs.windows.com 1) (blogs.windows.com 2)