Which mechanism specifies a list of allowed application components to execute in a system to prevent unauthorized execution?

Which mechanism specifies a list of allowed application components to execute in a system to prevent unauthorized execution?

• A. Blacklisting
• B. Application whitelisting
• C. Software restriction policies
• D. Acceptable use policies

Answer: (B)

Application whitelisting defines a list of approved software that may run on a system. By allowing only those specified components to execute, anything not on the list is blocked by default, which drastically reduces the chance that unauthorized or malicious code will run. This proactive approach is especially effective against new or unknown malware because it cannot start unless it’s on the approved set. Implementation often uses cryptographic hashes, digital signatures, or publisher-based rules to verify that a program is allowed, and rules can be scoped to specific users, groups, or paths to keep management practical. In contrast, blacklisting focuses on blocking known bad software, which still leaves a possibility for anything not yet identified as malicious to run. Software restriction policies provide a broader enforcement framework for execution rules and can implement either whitelist or blacklist approaches depending on configuration. Acceptable use policies are guidelines around how systems should be used and do not provide the same technical enforcement.

Application whitelisting defines a list of approved software that may run on a system. By allowing only those specified components to execute, anything not on the list is blocked by default, which drastically reduces the chance that unauthorized or malicious code will run. This proactive approach is especially effective against new or unknown malware because it cannot start unless it’s on the approved set. Implementation often uses cryptographic hashes, digital signatures, or publisher-based rules to verify that a program is allowed, and rules can be scoped to specific users, groups, or paths to keep management practical.

In contrast, blacklisting focuses on blocking known bad software, which still leaves a possibility for anything not yet identified as malicious to run. Software restriction policies provide a broader enforcement framework for execution rules and can implement either whitelist or blacklist approaches depending on configuration. Acceptable use policies are guidelines around how systems should be used and do not provide the same technical enforcement.