Security & Privacy
Application execution control
ActivePublished
Key
innovation
Default-deny execution that permits only approved code, instead of detecting known threats.
Category
Security & Privacy
Abstraction level
Pattern
Operation level
DeploymentSystem
How it works
A policy defines which programs are allowed (based on lists, cryptographic hashes, signatures or rules). On an execution attempt, the system checks compliance with the policy and blocks unauthorized code. The mechanism is often combined with secure boot and integrity verification.
Problem solved
Industrial systems usually have a fixed, known set of applications; allowing arbitrary code to run needlessly increases the risk of infection and sabotage.