Skip to main content

About the Browser Extension

Updated
Note: The screenshots in this article are currently taken from the Japanese version of the product. Some labels in the images may differ from the English interface.

Overview

This page provides detailed information about the features of the Josys Browser Extension.

Target Audience

IT administrators who are considering installing and configuring the Josys Browser Extension, and utilizing the automatic SaaS usage detection feature.

Eligible Customers

Customers currently using the Josys SaaS Management Plan or Access Management Plan.

What is the Josys Browser Extension?

This is a browser extension distributed by Josys to detect shadow IT more comprehensively.

By having employees install this extension on their browsers (supported on Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge only), you can visualize the usage of SaaS and cloud services accessed through those browsers in Josys.

This allows you to monitor how frequently employees use specific apps and whether they are accessing unauthorized SaaS.

💡 This extension operates on a per-browser and per-device basis. If employees use multiple PCs, it must be installed on each device.

Benefits of Installing the Extension

Below are some examples of how you can utilize this feature:

  • Ensure Compliance and Strengthen Security
    Discover unauthorized SaaS usage (shadow IT) that administrators are unaware of, and verify compliance with company security policies.
  • Accurately Track SaaS Usage (SaaS Audit)
    Understand exactly which SaaS applications are being used across the organization and identify unused ones to help eliminate waste.

How Detection Works

The Josys Browser Extension detects SaaS usage through the following process:

1. Checking the Accessed Location (URL)

The extension reads the website address (URL) accessed from the browser.

2. Verifying if the SaaS is Known to Josys

Using Josys's application database, the extension checks if the read URL is a registered website. At this stage, no data is sent to the Josys servers yet.

3. Sending Information for Known SaaS

Access information is reflected based on the following conditions:

Conditions:

  • The accessed website is a SaaS that exists in the Josys database.

  • The SaaS has been used for a cumulative total of more than 180 seconds (3 minutes). 

    💡 How the 180 seconds are measured: 
    • Only active screen interaction is counted.
    Simply keeping a page open does not count. Time is measured only when there is actual interaction on the browser (mouse movement, clicks, keyboard input, etc.). 

    • Pauses after 15 seconds of inactivity
    If there is no interaction for 15 seconds, it is considered "idle time" and the count pauses. The count resumes once interaction starts again.  

    • Cumulative count with no expiration
    This interaction time is calculated as a cumulative total. Even if a single session is less than 180 seconds, the seconds are saved and will resume from where they left off during the next access.

Data Sent:

  • Organization ID
  • Employee ID
  • Accessed URL (mostly up to the hostname)
  • Access start time
  • Cumulative access time
  • Device OS and browser version

Data Sync Timing:

  • Data is sent to Josys every 6 hours and reflected on the admin panel every 24 hours.
    *Therefore, data up to the previous day will generally be reflected during the following day.
💡 The browser extension only analyzes URL information.
Please be assured that it never accesses or uses passwords, personal information entered on sites, or cookies (data storing login sessions, etc.).
SaaS websites that were merely opened without actually logging in may also appear in the list.
This is because the extension simply detects that "the URL of that SaaS was accessed."
Additionally, once data is sent to Josys, it is automatically deleted from the extension and not stored. 

How to Check Detected Data

How to View Detected Apps

You can check the data detected by the extension using the following steps:

  1. In the left sidebar of the Josys admin panel, click "Apps > Discovered Apps".
  2. Click the "Filter" button in the top right of the screen.
  3. Select "Source".
  4. A pop-up window will open. Select "Browser Extension".
  • Data will begin to appear on the screen starting the day after the verification code is entered.

How to Check the URL of Detected Apps

  1. Open the details screen of the detected app.
  2. You can check the URL from the source URL or the exported CSV file.


▽ Discovered App Details Screen


▽ Downloading Discovered Apps CSV

Discovered Apps List CSV:

Discovered Apps List CSV (including account details):

💡 If the extension detects an integrated app:
The "Active Days" will be counted and displayed within the Apps (Apps > Managed Apps).
💡 The "Discovered App Source URL" is only displayed for apps detected by the browser extension.

How to Use the Extension

To start using the extension, please refer to the following help page:

How to Use the Browser Extension

Related articles