The Evolution of App Control

• Negative security models, typical of legacy defense solutions, are no longer enough to deter sophisticated cyber attacks and too often leave critical assets exposed.
• Carbon Black pioneered application control, using a positive security model that only allows trusted applications and processes to run, thereby protecting overlooked assets.
• Carbon Black continues to raise the bar for application control, folding in advanced solutions like file integrity monitoring, memory protection, device control and more. 

In the early 2000s, new and diverse attacks became a daily nightmare for organizations as the era of relying solely on denylisting known threats approached its limits. The U.S. government recognized a need for a positive security model that could proactively defend against cybercriminals, even in the face of the unknown.

A few years later, one small start-up had the gumption and brains to spawn the next evolution in cybersecurity: the solution you now know as Carbon Black App Control. As pioneers of application control, Carbon Black understood the assignment: layering a default/deny model over traditional defenses would deliver the most comprehensive, reliable protection for critical systems. 

Innovation is our middle name

For years, negative security models were the backbone of cybersecurity. This “denylisting” approach stops known viruses, worms and other threats in their tracks before they can do damage. But as cyber threats evolve, attackers are exploiting gaps outside known signatures. Negative security is still essential, just not enough. 

Our answer to application control uses a positive security model that effectively fills these gaps by only allowing trusted software to run and assuming everything else is a potential threat. By “allowlisting” applications and processes, this approach denies access by default until trust is established, to minimize an organization’s attack surface and its risk of zero-day threats.

By the 2010s, Carbon Black was leading the charge as pioneers in application control. Today, Carbon Black App Control is trusted by the world’s most targeted organizations to defend against ransomware and protect assets that traditional solutions often overlook without interruptions to business operations. Our relentless innovation and ability to evolve led us to join forces with Symantec under the Broadcom banner and deliver enterprise-grade security (including application control) for businesses of all sizes. 

And organizations everywhere are reaping the benefits.

What do teams do with application control? A lot, actually.

Within cybersecurity, the smallest gap can be catastrophic. Attackers relentlessly exploit weaknesses to infiltrate operations. Traditional security solutions often leave business-critical assets exposed, from public-facing POS systems to cloud migrations and legacy systems—assets that are choice cuts for greedy cybercriminals. Sure, you may think you’re covered with standard antivirus tools, but without visibility into all the software running in your environment, threats can easily slip in through the cracks.

With top tier application control, you can:

• Lock down overlooked entry points on-premises or across private or public clouds
• Secure air-gapped systems, fixed-function devices and end-of-life (EOL) operating systems
• Meet major compliance requirements and audit controls
• Identify all assets in your environment
• Drive down overall security risks
• Protect your productivity and reputation, so you can rest easy

The list goes on. To learn more about what you can realize, read 6 Ways Application Control Benefits You.

Application control—and so much more

The name is almost a misnomer—Carbon Black App Control is a much more robust tool than the average application control solution on the market. It packs a punch with additional features that help your team zero in on risk to save time, resources and money for your organization. 

Go beyond conventional application control with: 

• Trust-based content approval. Maintain up-to-date security with minimal effort. Our advanced, trust-based approach replaces outdated lists with cloud trust, trusted publishers, custom rules, and real-time analysis to approve or block files.
• File integrity control (FIC) and monitoring. Examine files, registry keys and folders within minutes. Tampered or compromised files are rejected, keeping your environment secure from suspicious activity. We handle the hard work, so you don’t have to.
• Registry protection. Immediately block unauthorized changes to registry keys on Windows systems to prevent irreparable damage to your most valuable systems.
• Memory protection. Take control of who can access or alter your processes and make it easier for your team to stop in-memory attacks before they spread.
• Device control. Enjoy the power to define, limit or outright block data transfers. With our application control, you have full authority over data flow between your systems and external storage devices. 

Together, these advanced measures build a comprehensive solution that neutralizes malware, ransomware and next-gen attacks—all while keeping your business operations running smoothly. 

Work smarter, not harder 

Despite countless evolutions in the threat landscape since its inception, Carbon Black App Control remains an industry-leading choice for organizations of all sizes looking to gain comprehensive security for applications and business-critical assets.