Application Control
Every device in your business runs only the software your team has approved, so unknown or unauthorised applications are stopped before they can cause any harm.
What you're actually up against
Phishing & Social Engineering
Employees can be tricked into revealing passwords or sensitive information.
Ransomware
Attackers can encrypt business data and demand payment to restore access.
Weak Passwords
Compromised or reused passwords can provide attackers with access to business systems.
Unpatched Systems
Outdated software can contain vulnerabilities that attackers exploit.
Data Breaches
Sensitive customer, employee and business information can be exposed or stolen.
What happens without Application Control
Most computers will run whatever you double-click on them. That sounds obvious, but it sits at the root of more business security incidents than most owners realise.
Antivirus works by recognising things it already knows are bad. If a file has never been flagged anywhere before, it often gets through without a second look. The same applies to software employees install without asking, free tools, browser extensions, utilities a contractor dropped on a machine, none of these have to look suspicious to create a real problem. They just have to run.
Without a control that decides what is allowed to run in the first place, any user who can download a file can potentially execute one that your other security tools would never catch in time.
What you'll get once Application Control is in place
- An approved list of applications permitted to run on your business devices, set and maintained by CyberStark on your behalf so the rules reflect how your team actually works.
- Automatic blocking of any software outside that list before it can execute, closing the gap that signature-based antivirus leaves open for unknown or never-before-seen files.
- A practical defence against shadow IT, the unapproved tools employees install with good intentions but without realising the exposure they create.
- A straightforward process for adding new software to your approved list, so legitimate business applications never get blocked without warning.
- A contribution towards meeting the malware protection control under Cyber Essentials, where application allow-listing is one of the accepted approaches to satisfy the requirement.
Application Control pairs well with these other products and services we offer
Real people, not just a checklist
A lot of providers hand you a generic package and a login. We hand you a plan built around your business, and people who explain what's actually going on.
Hands-on support
A named specialist guides you through everything, no generic self-service portal.
Structured readiness review
We check your submission is ready before it goes for formal assessment, so you're not caught out by an easy-to-avoid mistake.
Fast turnaround
Certification in as little as 5 working days, security reviews and testing often start within days.
Nothing lapses silently
We track certificate expiry and follow-up scans ahead of time, so your protection never quietly goes stale.
One team, every service
Penetration testing, vulnerability testing, and ongoing monitoring handled in-house by our own team. Certification is coordinated end-to-end by us with an accredited certification body, so you get one point of contact, not several vendors to manage.
Certification pass guarantee
If you don't pass Cyber Essentials first time, we work with you at no extra cost until you do.
Hands-on support
A named specialist guides you through everything, no generic self-service portal.
Structured readiness review
We check your submission is ready before it goes for formal assessment, so you're not caught out by an easy-to-avoid mistake.
Fast turnaround
Certification in as little as 5 working days, security reviews and testing often start within days.
Nothing lapses silently
We track certificate expiry and follow-up scans ahead of time, so your protection never quietly goes stale.
One team, every service
Penetration testing, vulnerability testing, and ongoing monitoring handled in-house by our own team. Certification is coordinated end-to-end by us with an accredited certification body, so you get one point of contact, not several vendors to manage.
Certification pass guarantee
If you don't pass Cyber Essentials first time, we work with you at no extra cost until you do.
Application Control questions
No, and that difference is what makes it worth having alongside antivirus rather than instead of it. Antivirus looks at files and tries to decide whether they are malicious based on what it already knows. Application control does not make that judgement at all. It simply checks whether a piece of software is on your approved list. If it is not, it does not run, regardless of whether anyone has ever flagged it as dangerous before. Each one covers a gap the other leaves open.
They flag it to whoever looks after your IT, and CyberStark adds the application to your approved list once it has been checked over. It is a small extra step compared to just downloading and running something, but it means you always know exactly what is running on your devices. Nothing gets onto your systems quietly, which is the point.
Once your approved list is set up to reflect the software your team already uses, day-to-day work carries on as normal. The period most likely to cause friction is the initial setup, when existing applications need to be catalogued and confirmed. CyberStark works through that with you so the transition is handled properly and staff are not left with blocked tools and no explanation.
Shadow IT is the informal name for software employees install and use without the knowledge of whoever manages your IT. It is usually well-intentioned, a free tool that makes a task quicker, a personal app someone finds useful at work. The problem is that it bypasses any security checks, may be unlicensed, and can quietly send business data to servers you have no visibility over. Application control removes the option to run unapproved software at all, which deals with the problem at source rather than trying to discover it after the fact.
Yes. Cyber Essentials requires businesses to have malware protection in place, and application allow-listing is one of the approaches the scheme accepts to meet that control. If certification is on your roadmap, this service contributes directly to that requirement. CyberStark can explain how it fits into the broader picture alongside the other controls the scheme covers.
Get a clear answer on what your business actually needs.
Free, no-obligation 10-minute call, we'll tell you honestly, even if that means less work for us.
No sales pressure, no confusing quotes. Tell us about your business and your contracts, and we'll tell you exactly which certification and services make sense, and what it'll cost.
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