The Sastrify browser extension simplifies shadow IT discovery and usage analytics, delivering actionable SaaS insights while upholding privacy and compliance.


Key features of Sastrify Browser Extension

Shadow IT Discovery—Automatically detects SaaS tools accessed via corporate email accounts, identifying unapproved or unmanaged software.

Detailed Usage Analysis—Monitors usage patterns and frequency, enabling optimized licensing and efficient tool management.

Privacy-First Approach—Collects only essential data (URLs, login/logout timestamps, and access frequency) to ensure compliance with privacy regulations without intruding on personal and sensitive information.


IN THIS ARTICLE

What is Sastrify Browser Extension?

The Sastrify Browser Extension works with the employees' browsers and tracks SaaS access and usage patterns ONLY when they access and interact with any SaaS application using their company email.


Once set up, the extension captures solely the following key data points to enhance SaaS visibility, including:

  • Tool Discovery—Identifies SaaS tools accessed.
  • Usage Analytics—Tracks the date of first activity, last activity (i.e., date of last use), user email, and frequency of use (daily, weekly, monthly).


Collected data is securely transmitted to your Sastrify platform, where your Sastrify Admin can review detailed usage insights in the Sastrify Usage tab for each tool, as well as identify and manage newly discovered SaaS applications via Sastrify Radar.


Sastrify upholds strict data privacy standards by only tracking SaaS URLs, last access timestamps, and login events, while excluding non-business applications. This ensures compliance with privacy regulations without monitoring unrelated activities.


How to setup Sastrify for Chrome Browser Extension

  1. Log into your Sastrify platform and navigate to Settings > Discovery.
  2. Under "Browser Extension Integrations", locate the Google Chrome connection card and click Enable.


  3. If you do not have an SSO (Single Sign-On) discovery integration or an HRIS integration connected, you will be prompted to set up one before proceeding. 
  4. If you already have one or both integrations enabled, you will immediately see a list of employees.
    Click the "Extension Setup" button in the bottom right corner of your screen.



  5. Choose one of the two available setup methods:
  • Admin Deployment – Enables company-wide installation via the Workspace Admin Console, requiring only activation from employees.
    1. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.
    2. Click the checkbox indicating that the “Force Installed” setup process has been completed.
    3. Click "Send Email" to notify employees with specific step-by-step instructions on how to log in and activate the browser extension.
    4. Once you click Send Email, the "Complete Setup" button will become enabled. 
    5. Click "Complete Setup" to finalize the process.


This method is only for administrators who manage Chrome policies from the Google Admin console. You must have Google Admin access to perform this method.



  • Manual Installation – Allows employees to install the extension individually.


    1. There are no on-screen setup instructions for this step, as the installation is performed on a per-user basis. 
    2. Click "Send Email" to notify employees with specific step-by-step instructions on how to install and activate the browser extension (employees will be directed to Sastrify for Chrome Extension page from the Chrome Web Store).
    3. Once you click Send Email, the "Complete Setup" button will become enabled.
    4. Click "Complete Setup" to finalize the process.

Frequently Asked Questions


Q: What does Sastrify browser extension track and monitor?


A:

Source: The extension will only track the access and interaction within SaaS applications accessed through the organization's email. 

Data points: SaaS tool URLs for tool discovery, date first used, last activity date (based on last web application launch time), user identifiers (user email), frequency of access (number of times the application was opened on a monthly basis), and total session duration.

Privacy: Strictly limits tracking to SaaS URLs, user emails, and access timestamps only, excluding non-business application URLs to ensure compliance with privacy standards.


Q: Do users need to be logged into Sastrify for this information to be collected?


A: No. As long as the browser extension that sits on your employees' browsers is properly enabled (they need to add the browser extension, log in using their work or company email, and activate it using the activation email that is triggered when the setup process is performed—see the "How to setup Sastrify for Chrome browser extension" section above), it will collect the data and push it seamlessly to your Sastrify platform.


Q: I use my work Chrome browser with my personal profile because I have all my personal bookmarks there. Will the browser extension also track my usage of the apps I access using my personal Gmail or email address?


A: No. Sastrify browser extension is very strict about what it collects and what it does not collect. It only collects usage data of the SaaS applications that are accessed using your company email address, which is the email address you use to log in to the extension. It does nothing beyond that.