Session Timeout V2 Released

Kinetech's expert services team is excited to announce the general availability of the Session Timeout Widget. The new version leverages cookies to provide a seamless ADA compliant experience to help manage idle traffic. As of time of writing the widget has been downloaded over 125+ times!

Background: 

The Kinetech GovTech Cloud supports hundreds of thousands of applicants and has assisted in distributing $750 Million USD across the United States.  To manage idle traffic, while allowing applicants time to complete their applications, Kinetech expert services created the Session Timeout Widget. Session Timeout is a custom JavaScript widget that warns users of their inactivity and prompts action to stay logged in.  The solution meets ADA compliance and is configurable to meet your specific logout restrictions, Kinetech expert services conceptualized the reusable widget so the entire Mendix community can leverage and configure it to meet their clients / partners unique specifications.

 

Kinetech Cloud, LLC 2022 - Session Timeout Widget, Mendix App Store

Session Timeout Widget - Example Popup. This widget designed by Kinetech Cloud is now available for free download in the Mendix Marketplace

"The Session Timeout Widget is a typical example of how Kinetech's Expert Services team strategically thinks about reusable services. The widget is a tangible example of the compounding value software can provide. "

- M. Guido CEO, Kinetech

As most websites that handle personal identifiable information (PII) or sensitive information, the addition of a session timeout widget is a logical choice. The widget will allow you to redirect idle traffic away from your site (manage load), provide an ADA compliant notification to the user of their inactivity, and log the user out of the application.

Functionality: 

The widget provides the following functionality:

  • Keep track of the time since the last action was taken - mouse, keyboard, or window events.
  • If idle for an (admin configured) period of time, prompt the user to let them know they are about to be signed out.
  • Give the user the ability to stay signed in or choose to be logged out.
    • If the timer for the prompt expires, automatically log the user out and remove their session from the server.

In v1 of the custom widget, these actions were monitored on the page level and worked quite naturally as expected. Issues arose when users would start navigating, refreshing, and using multiple tabs. The timer would fail to initialize, reset, or even fire the alert to users that they will be logged out. This is not ideal behavior for any application, making it apparent that we needed to find a better solution.

In comes the use of cookies!

 

Cookie Monster - Credit to Owner / Author

Cookies are small text files, stored on a device, for a specific website. 

It doesn’t matter how many tabs or windows you have open, cookies persist across them all. Knowing this, v2 of our custom session timeout widget adopted this site-wide option, to replace the page specific timers. 

A challenge, though, was to determine whether a user was active in a tab/window that is not in focus. Something we ran into during development was even if a user dismissed the prompt so they could remain signed in, the prompt would still be present on all other tabs/windows, eventually timing out and signing the user out anyway.

In order to avoid this, we implemented multiple layers of validation and checks before the prompt was set to expire; if a user remains active in at least one page, the prompt will automatically dismiss itself until the next time the user is idle for too long.

 

Session Timeout - V2 - Kinetech Cloud, LLC 2022 - Mendix Marketplace

Image of how the Session Timeout widget will appear in the Mendix Marketplace. 

 

Getting Started with Low-Code

Don’t take our word for it though, try it out! Low-code solutions are not cost-prohibitive to implement so the best way to see if we are right is to implement your first one. To learn more about low-code solutions for your industry or to talk to an expert about your specific needs, call+1 832 426 2000  or visit kinetechcloud.com.

 

About Kinetech:
Kinetech, a platform Mendix partner, is a provider of custom enterprise software, delivered through the cloud with a focus on improved business productivity. The company focuses on cloud, mobile, and integrated technologies that solve real client problems. Kinetech’s service offerings are configured and integrated with other web services (APIs), platforms, and enterprise applications (CRM, ERP, HCM). The company delivers its offerings via internet browsers and on mobile devices. Kinetech designs, builds, and supports mission-critical applications, client/vendor portals, and modernizes legacy systems. Its cloud offerings include Digital Factory (Manufacturing), Kinetech PM (Construction / Project Management), GovTech (Government Technology) Cloud, and other bespoke solutions (Enterprise Cloud).

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