Which security strategies are best for limiting what software can run on company devices?

Allowlists and blocklists are effective security strategies for controlling which software can be executed on company devices by specifying which applications are permitted or denied access.

Allowlists function by creating a list of approved applications that can be run on a device. Only the applications defined in this list are permitted, thereby preventing the installation and execution of any unauthorized software. This reduces the risk of malware and unverified applications being executed, ensuring that only trusted software is run in the environment.

Blocklists, on the other hand, operate by identifying and blocking known harmful or unapproved applications. This approach helps organizations react to threats more dynamically by updating the list of blocked software as new vulnerabilities are discovered.

Together, these strategies provide a robust framework for application control on company devices. By strictly controlling what software can run, organizations can mitigate numerous security risks associated with unauthorized software, such as data breaches or malware infections.

In contrast, other options like firewalls and VPNs focus on network security and communication encryption but do not directly govern which applications can be executed on devices. Similarly, encryption and decryption are essential for protecting data integrity and confidentiality but do not pertain to application control. Lastly, network segmentation and data masking are strategies that help contain data breaches and protect