It is a known fact that billions of dollars per year are lost to malware, computer virus outbreaks, and the downtime caused by dysfunctional networks and websites that have been the target of hackers. Such cyber problems affect a brand’s reputation, a business’ bottom line, and ultimately the price of products for customers. It is a constant struggle for businesses to remain on top of these cyber intrusions without completely locking down all networks and systems, which could negatively impact their ability to do business.
Why Whitelisting Is a Good Idea
One of the most effective ways to harden cyber security in any business is to implement whitelist application software that operates in real time and can be effectively and easily managed from a central administrative console. The benefits of this approach are as follows:
- More effective: Unlike blacklist techniques where all applications are allowed to run apart from the ones on the list, a whitelisting approach prevents all applications from running by default, apart from the ones that are listed. This blanket approach is able to lock out any malware automatically because they cannot run unless they are listed.
- Fast: Modern whitelist software can run in the background in real time. The list of approved applications can also be changed in real time by an administrator, meaning that it can be adapted ‘on the fly’ top suit by the business environment. The other advantage of modern whitelisting software is that it is rapid to deploy organisation-wide for your business.
- Tracking: Perhaps one of the biggest benefits is that this method allows a central administrator to track all applications that are executed within the business environment and by whom. If malware was to be executed, it could be easily tracked. Such a feature is also useful for tracking all network communications and determining IP addresses.
- Lighter: Traditional security methods typically involve firewalls, anti-virus, and blacklisting software that is hefty in terms of file size, takes time to deploy, and requires regular updating. For example, it is not uncommon for anti-virus definition downloads to be hundreds of megabytes in size. The operating nature of whitelist software means that it is lean in terms of file size and does not require bulky and lengthy software or definition updates.
Running a Better Business
Malware, viruses, and ransomware cost many businesses millions of dollars per annum. If you truly care about the future of security in your organisation, it is worth researching the benefits of whitelisting software. Typically, many businesses run multiple security points including firewalls, blacklist software, and anti-viruses on a network-wide basis. This approach is often difficult and costly to administer, meaning that it can be the cause of delays that impact on customers, clients, and the business bottom line.
Running whitelisting software means a less bulky security implementation, less delays, and an approach that is very adaptable. Such features also mean that any file or network data transaction can be tracked in real time, hardening security within the organisation even further.