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# Why Securing Web Sessions is the Missing Link in Zero Trust

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By [Elad Gavra](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/author/elad-gavra/?ts=markdown "Posts by Elad Gavra"), [Monique Lance](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/author/monique-lance/?ts=markdown "Posts by Monique Lance") and [Daniel Alkobi](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/author/daniel-alkobi/?ts=markdown "Posts by Daniel Alkobi")  
Sep 17, 2025  
4 minutes  
[Product Features](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/sase/category/product-features/?ts=markdown)  
[Uncategorized](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/uncategorized/?ts=markdown)  
[Browse Bravely](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/tag/browse-bravely/?ts=markdown)  
[Prisma Access Browser](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/tag/prisma-access-browser/?ts=markdown)  
[Prisma Browser](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/tag/prisma-browser/?ts=markdown)  
[Secure Browser](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/tag/secure-browser/?ts=markdown)

Identity has become the new battleground. In a world where work happens everywhere and applications live in the cloud, passwords, passwordless authentication, and even MFA can no longer keep pace with attackers who now target the weakest link: active web sessions.

After a successful login to a web application, a browser holds a token or cookie---a temporary digital key that maintains the active session and eliminates the need to re-enter credentials. If stolen, the key gives adversaries the same access as your employees, allowing them to move freely inside your environment. It's no surprise that session hijacking has surged, with [researchers](https://spycloud.com/resource/report/spycloud-annual-identity-exposure-report-2024/)uncovering more than 20 billion stolen cookie records---an average of 2,000 per infected device. This shift makes protecting sessions, not just logins, a critical front line in enterprise security.

Addressing this challenge requires a smarter, more dynamic approach to securing access within the [browser](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/cyberpedia/what-is-an-enterprise-browser) itself. Unlike legacy browsers, [Prisma Browser](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/sase/prisma-access-browser) is purpose-built to deliver security that adapts moment by moment, to protect the duration of a session, not just at login.

## **The Browser as the New Control Point**

With attackers bypassing traditional defenses and targeting active web sessions, the secure browser has become a fundamental line of defense. Prisma Browser brings augmented Zero Trust context, delivering multiple layers of protection directly in the browser---the last mile where work happens and the focus of today's attacks.

* **Guarding the Gate: Prisma Browser Enforcement** Hijacked sessions are powerful because they bypass the corporate fortress of identity checks. This ensures that critical resources can only be accessed through Prisma Browser, and any attempt to create or hijack a session from an unmanaged or untrusted browser is automatically blocked.

![](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/word-image-344966-1.png)

*Prisma Browser blocks access to unmanaged or untrusted browsers*

* **Protecting the Castle: Browser Self-Protection**Attackers don't just steal credentials---they target the browser itself to extract tokens, hijack memory, or inject code. Prisma Browser's self-protection framework defends against these attacks at the source. It blocks memory dumps, prevents malicious code injection, and resists reverse engineering- ensuring that session tokens and sensitive data remain safe inside a hardened environment.

* **Continuous Cleanup: Automated Data Hygiene** Session hijacking thrives on leftover data like cookies or tokens on shared or public devices. Prisma Browser eliminates this risk with automated cleanup protocols that flush user data periodically and upon browser closure. By removing sensitive artifacts, reduce the attack vector and ensure the attacker can't pick up where a user left off, even on kiosk-mode or multi-user devices.

* **Locking Down the Data: Encrypting Cookies in Motion**Session cookies are crown jewels for attackers--steal one, and you own the session. Prisma Browser adds an additional layer of encryption to cookies. By protecting the very assets attackers want most, it preserves the integrity of active sessions.

* **Session Refresh Policy**Even long-lived sessions can become liabilities if stolen. Prisma Browser allows administrators to define refresh policies, forcing re-authentication at intervals that balance security with usability. This limits the lifespan of any hijacked session and narrows the attacker's window of opportunity.

* **Managing Extensions: An Invisible Attack Vector** Extensions are a backdoor for session theft, capable of reading pages, capturing cookies, or exfiltrating data. With [280 million malicious downloads observed](https://techxplore.com/news/2024-06-experts-millions-users-malware-infected.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com#google_vignette), this vector is far from theoretical. Prisma Browser discovers all extensions in use, tracks their permissions and behavior, and blocks risky or over-permissive ones. Sensitive data can even be hidden from approved extensions---neutralizing a major avenue for attackers to steal sessions or hijack user activity.

## **The Future of Secure Browsing**

Attackers no longer go after passwords---they go after sessions. And once a session is stolen, every other investment you've made in security can be bypassed. Protecting the browser is now protecting the business.

[Schedule a demo](https://start.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma-access-browser-demo)today to see how [Prisma Browser](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/sase/prisma-access-browser) equips enterprises to stay ahead of adversaries, secure the integrity of every session, and enables their workforce to browse bravely.

*** ** * ** ***

## Related Blogs

### [Product Features](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/sase/category/product-features/?ts=markdown), [Products and Services](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/products-and-services/?ts=markdown)

[#### Solving Encrypted Traffic Challenges with Prisma Access Browser](https://origin-researchcenter.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/sase/solving-encrypted-traffic-challenges-with-prisma-access-browser/)

### [Product Features](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/sase/category/product-features/?ts=markdown), [Uncategorized](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/uncategorized/?ts=markdown)

[#### Privileged Remote Access and the Power of the Browser](https://origin-researchcenter.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/sase/privileged-remote-access-and-the-power-of-the-browser/)

### [Product Features](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/sase/category/product-features/?ts=markdown), [Products and Services](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/products-and-services/?ts=markdown)

[#### Unlock Frictionless Private App Access with Prisma Browser Connector](https://origin-researchcenter.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/sase/unlock-frictionless-private-app-access-with-prisma-browser-connector/)

### [Product Features](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/sase/category/product-features/?ts=markdown), [Products and Services](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/products-and-services/?ts=markdown)

[#### Seamless and Secure RDP and SSH Access Using Prisma Browser](https://origin-researchcenter.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/sase/seamless-and-secure-rdp-and-ssh-access-using-prisma-browser/)

### [Product Features](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/sase/category/product-features/?ts=markdown), [Products and Services](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/products-and-services/?ts=markdown)

[#### Complete Web Protection Starts in the Browser](https://origin-researchcenter.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/sase/complete-web-protection-starts-in-the-browser/)

### [AI Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/ai-security/?ts=markdown), [Product Features](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/sase/category/product-features/?ts=markdown)

[#### Prisma Browser Innovations: AI-Powered Security for Enterprise Work](https://origin-researchcenter.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/sase/prisma-browser-innovations-ai-powered-security-for-enterprise-work/)

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