Browser automation is the scripted control of a web browser, often through tools that click, type, navigate, and read page content without a human operating the interface. It is widely used for testing, scraping, and workflow automation, but the same capability can be abused by malware to steer an already logged-in browser session.
In cyber security, this matters because a stolen session cookie or authenticated profile may let an attacker act as the user without knowing the password or passing multifactor prompts again. Attackers may use automation to open pages, reuse saved browser state, submit forms, or keep a hidden session active in the background. Defenders look for unusual browser launches, headless or remote-debugging behavior, unexpected profile reuse, and session persistence after password changes. Strong endpoint controls and device-bound session protections can reduce the value of automated session abuse.