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CRT Blogs
May 19, 2025

How Secure Is the ChromeOS Readiness Tool?

In an era where cyber‑threats are ever‑present, ensuring secure planning for a ChromeOS transition is critical. The ChromeOS Readiness Tool is designed with robust security measures to ensure that your organization's sensitive information remains protected throughout the migration assessment process.

Multi-Layered Data Encryption

ChromeOS Readiness Tool employs advanced encryption techniques to safeguard your data:

  • AES Encryption: All log files generated by ChromeOS Readiness Tool are encrypted using the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), ensuring that data at rest is secure.

  • RSA Encryption: The AES encryption keys themselves are further protected by encrypting them with the server's RSA public key, adding an additional layer of security.

These encryption methods ensure that even if data is intercepted, it remains unintelligible to unauthorized parties.

Controlled Access with Private Keys

Access to the assessment details on the web dashboard is restricted:

  • Private Key Requirement: Only the user who deployed the tool and possesses the corresponding private key can decrypt and view the assessment data.

This ensures that sensitive information is accessible only to authorized personnel within your organization.

Secure Storage Options

ChromeOS Readiness Tool offers flexible storage solutions to align with your organization's security policies:

  • Network Shared Folder: For organizations preferring on-premises data storage, the ChromeOS Readiness Tool allows encrypted data to be stored in a designated network shared folder. Access to this folder is restricted to authorized IT personnel, ensuring secure data handling within your internal infrastructure.

  • Google Cloud Platform (GCP) Storage: For organizations utilizing cloud services, ChromeOS Readiness Tool supports storage on GCP. This option leverages Google's robust security measures, including role-based access controls, to protect your data in the cloud.

Certifications, Compliance, and Best Practices

In addition to encryption and access controls, the ChromeOS Readiness Tool follows strict compliance standards and best practices to meet the needs of enterprise IT teams:

  •  SOC 2 Type 2 Certification

The ChromeOS Readiness Tool, along with its development and operational processes at Codimite, has been independently audited and awarded SOC 2 Type 2 certification. This validates that the tool meets rigorous standards for security, availability, and confidentiality over time — not just at a single point. The certification reflects a proven track record of secure practices, giving organizations assurance that the tool operates under a compliant and secure framework.

  • Digitally Signed Scripts with Sectigo

All deployment scripts for the ChromeOS Readiness Tool are digitally signed by Sectigo, a globally trusted certificate authority. This signature ensures the integrity and authenticity of every script — so organizations can verify that the deployment packages have not been altered or tampered with. It’s a key safeguard that adds confidence to enterprise-scale rollouts.

  • GDPR Compliance

The ChromeOS Readiness Tool is designed in alignment with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Its data collection and processing mechanisms follow best practices for transparency, user privacy, and lawful handling of information — particularly for EU-based organizations. While not certified, the tool’s architecture reflects a thorough internal analysis to ensure GDPR-aligned operation.

Enterprise-Grade Deployment Flexibility

ChromeOS Readiness Tool  is designed to accommodate various organizational structures:

  • PowerShell Script Deployment Ideal for both small teams and large enterprises, PowerShell scripts enable quick, customizable deployment across user devices. These scripts are digitally signed by Sectigo, ensuring authenticity and guarding against tampering during distribution or execution. IT administrators can easily roll out the tool while maintaining strict governance and security policies.

  • Active Directory (AD) Integration For enterprises with centralized user and device management, ChromeOS Readiness Tool supports seamless integration with Active Directory. This allows IT teams to deploy the tool in a controlled, authenticated environment, ensuring only trusted endpoints are included in the assessment process. AD integration also makes it easier to apply role-based access controls, further strengthening security.

These deployment options ensure that ChromeOS Readiness Tool can be tailored to meet the specific security and operational needs of your organization.

Centralized Reporting with Security in Mind

ChromeOS Readiness Tool’s ability to generate centralized reports from multiple devices provides comprehensive insights while maintaining data security:

  • Encrypted Data Collection: All data collected from user devices is encrypted, ensuring that sensitive information remains protected during aggregation and analysis.

  • Secure Dashboard Access: The web dashboard, used for displaying readiness reports, requires proper authentication and possession of the private key, ensuring that only authorized users can access the compiled data.

By integrating these comprehensive security measures, the ChromeOS Readiness Tool ensures that your organization's data remains protected throughout the migration assessment process. Whether you choose on-premises storage or cloud-based solutions,  ChromeOS Readiness Tool provides the flexibility and security necessary for a confident transition to ChromeOS.

For more information and to get started with the ChromeOS Readiness Tool, visit the official website.

Sachini Wijayasekar

Business Analyst

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May 22, 2025

Ways the ChromeOS Readiness Tool Simplifies IT Planning

Transitioning your organization's IT infrastructure to a cloud-based operating system like ChromeOS offers many benefits, including enhanced security and potential cost savings. However, the migration process can seem complex. Effective planning is key to a smooth transition. The ChromeOS Readiness Tool is designed precisely to simplify this crucial IT planning phase by providing a comprehensive assessment of your current environment.

The tool works by analyzing your existing application usage, device compatibility, and peripheral integration. This analysis provides actionable insights that are vital for strategic IT planning.

Here’s how the ChromeOS Readiness Tool streamlines your IT planning:

1. Provides Clear Compatibility Roadmaps The tool eliminates guesswork by meticulously analyzing your environment and classifying the readiness of both devices and applications.

  • For devices, it provides statuses like "Ready to Switch," "Ready with Verification", and "Blocked from Switching". This immediately tells you which devices are good to go and which require further attention or cannot transition.

  • For applications, it categorizes them as "ChromeOS-ready," "Possibly ready," "Blockers," or "Unknown". Identifying "Blockers" is crucial for planning, as these apps require specific solutions like virtualization before migration. This detailed categorization helps you prioritize efforts and plan for necessary software adjustments or replacements.

2. Offers Essential Insights for Informed Decisions. Features like the Browser Insights feature provide a comprehensive view of browser and extension usage across your organization. This insight into browser usage, version data, and extension details is critical for making informed decisions about compatibility with ChromeOS and the Chrome Enterprise Browser. It also helps identify potential security risks from unauthorized extensions, simplifying security planning.

3. Centralizes Information for Easy Monitoring. The tool offers an intuitive web-based dashboard. This dashboard provides a user-friendly interface to monitor readiness status across the organization, displaying a high-level readiness score, breakdowns by compatibility, real-time device assessments, peripheral insights, and browser insights. Centralized visibility simplifies monitoring and provides a clear overview for IT teams during the planning phase. It also identifies applications needing virtualization and suggests solutions.

4. Provides Expert Guidance. Beyond just presenting data, the tool offers tailored advice and recommendations based on your organization's specific needs. This expert guidance ensures you take a strategic approach to migration, simplifying the decision-making process.

5. Drives Efficiency and Predictability By identifying potential challenges early in the migration process, the tool helps save both time and resources. This early identification reduces downtime and associated costs, making your IT planning more predictable and efficient. The tool provides a clear understanding of your current IT landscape, eliminating guesswork for a more efficient transition.

In essence, the ChromeOS Readiness Tool acts as a vital pre-migration scanner, providing the detailed information and clear classifications needed to create a solid IT migration plan. By leveraging its comprehensive assessments, centralized dashboard, and tailored recommendations, organizations can approach the transition to ChromeOS with confidence and clarity, simplifying what might otherwise be a daunting process.

Getting started is straightforward: you can visit the official website, schedule a demo, choose your installation method (Enterprise or PowerShell), and use the insights to plan effectively.

Experience the Readiness Tool today and simplify your ChromeOS migration planning.

CRT Blogs (2)
May 21, 2025

How to Deploy the ChromeOS Readiness Tool Enterprise VS PowerShell Explained

Transitioning to ChromeOS is a strategic move for organizations seeking efficiency and security. Before making the switch, understanding your current IT environment is crucial, and that's where the ChromeOS Readiness Tool comes in. It's designed to assess your compatibility by analyzing application usage, device compatibility, and peripheral integration. To begin this assessment, you need to deploy the tool. There are two primary installation methods or deployment flows: the Enterprise Flow and the PowerShell Flow. Choosing the right flow depends on your existing infrastructure. While you might hear about "Pro" or "Partner" dashboards, these refer to the interfaces for viewing results, accessible after deployment via the chosen flow and storage configuration.

Let's explore the two deployment flows:

1. The Enterprise Installation Method 

  • This flow is tailored for organizations that primarily use Active Directory and Group Policy Objects (GPOs) for management. It's specifically designed for environments without Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) systems and typically leverages on-premise infrastructure.

Key Characteristics:

  • Supports installation via Active Directory and GPOs.

  • Features an automated data collection agent.

  • Utilizes on-premise infrastructure.

  • Storage Options: Choose between two available storage configurations to suit your organization's needs.

    • Network Shared Folder

    • Network Shared Folder and GCP Storage Bucket

  • Dashboard Access: Selecting the "Network Shared Folder and GCP Storage Bucket" storage option provides access to a web dashboard, allowing users to view the readiness data in greater detail.

2. The PowerShell Flow (or PowerShell Installation)

This flow is designed for environments where Active Directory is not used for deployment. It is optimized for Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) systems and utilizes cloud-based infrastructure.

Key Characteristics:

  • Designed for installation without Active Directory.

  • Optimized for UEM systems.

  • The data collection agent requires manual setup.

  • Utilizes cloud-based infrastructure.

  • Storage Options: Storage is available via GCP Cloud Storage Bucket. 

  • Dashboard Access: The web dashboard is available for the PowerShell flow, which will allow users to view the readiness data in a more detailed manner.

How to Choose:

The decision hinges on your current IT management infrastructure:

  • Choose the Enterprise Flow if you rely heavily on Active Directory/GPOs and do not use a UEM system.

  • Choose the PowerShell Flow if your organization uses a UEM system and deployment is not managed via Active Directory.

Understanding these deployment options is the first critical step to effectively utilizing the ChromeOS Readiness Tool for a successful migration assessment.

CRT Blogs (1)
May 20, 2025

Spotlight On: The Browser Insights Feature in the ChromeOS Readiness Tool

One of the standout capabilities of the ChromeOS Readiness Tool is Browser Insights, a feature designed specifically to evaluate and understand your organization’s web environment.

This feature offers a comprehensive overview of browser and extension usage across your organization. It provides statistics on browser popularity, version distribution, and average usage trends. This information helps IT teams make informed and confident decisions regarding their current web setup and its compatibility with ChromeOS and the Chrome Enterprise Browser.

What kind of data does it capture?

The Browser Insights feature includes browser usage data, browser version information, and extension details. On the dashboard, you can see key statistics such as the Total Device Count, Unique Browsers identified, the Total Browser Versions in use, and the Total Extensions found across the organization. It shows the usage of the most used browsers within the organization, listing browsers like Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, Opera, Vivaldi, and Brave, along with their usage percentages. The dashboard also presents the average usage between browsers and applications.

Furthermore, you can find detailed information on different browser versions used and the number of devices running them, as well as an organization-wide overview of extensions, including their names, IDs, and version information. A list of devices is displayed, followed by the extension names for each browser on that device.

Here's how this feature specifically benefits your organization:

  • Centralized Visibility: The feature provides a single location to view browser and extension data from all managed devices.

  • Improved Security Posture: By identifying unauthorized or potentially risky extensions and outdated browser versions, IT teams can effectively reduce security risks within the organization.

  • Transition Readiness: The insights gained are crucial for assessing your current web setup and supporting a smoother move to ChromeOS and the Chrome Enterprise Browser.

Data collection for the Browser Insights feature is Admin-Controlled & Compliant. This means the process is transparent, requiring administrator approval before data is collected.

You can explore the data captured by this feature on the intuitive web-based dashboard. The dashboard provides detailed insights into device readiness for ChromeOS, including valuable browser information, offering a clear view of compatibility status and assessment results. The dashboard allows you to see a company readiness overview, device readiness statuses, and various reports.

By using the Browser Insights feature, organizations gain crucial visibility into their web environment. This enables better security practices and streamlined management, and provides a clearer path for transitioning to Chrome Enterprise Browser.