If you hate using your company’s VPN (that’s virtual private network) from your smartphone, then you might consider Amazon Web Services’ new managed service, Amazon WorkLink.
End users simply install the mobile app from the App Store or Google Play, and IT administers provide access rights to internal corporate websites and web apps. AWS says this is more convenient than trying to use a VPN on a mobile device and eliminates the use of any custom web browsers.
The service calls upon the infrastructure of AWS to deliver the content from behind the company firewall. It uses a secure web browser that’s hosted in the cloud and it converts web graphics into simple vector graphics. The result is a normal mobile web browsing experience, not streamed content, so users can interact using the gestures they’d typically use with their web browser.
It doesn’t store or cache any of the information on the local device in order to reduce the risk of a security breach. It’s also not providing a direct connection from the device to the corporate network, reducing the risk that a malware infection on the device could spread.
The service is available to AWS customers and can be configured in AWS Management Console. It’s compatible with SAML 2.0 compliant identity providers including Okta and Ping Identity. Mobile devices supported include those running iOS 12 and up, Android 6 and up is coming soon. It works with Safari web browser, with Chrome to be added in the coming weeks. It’s available immediately across North America and Europe, with more regions to be added later this year.
WorkLink is priced at $5 USD per monthly user and it’s available from these AWS regions: AWS US East (N. Virginia), AWS US East (Ohio), AWS US West (Oregon), and AWS EU (Ireland).
Here’s a video from AWS introducing the service:
