Bit9

A new podcast from Enterprise Systems Journal looks at how whitelisting works and examines its benefits with Brian Gladstein, Bit9’s Director of Product Marketing. Whitelisting is an approach used to secure enterprise computing systems by specifying which applications and devices are allowed to operate. All the rest -- unknown and unapproved applications and devices -- are blocked. Unlike blacklisting, third-parties don’t dictate which software or processes are inappropriate. With whitelisting, no third-party policy updates are required. Untrusted software simply can’t install or run, even zero-day or zero-minute software. A broad whitelisting approach covers the applications the organization uses such that a typical user is not blocked while unauthorized software is always blocked. Thus, it’s not a matter of whether the file or device seems good or bad, but whether an organization decides it’s authorized to run. Companies are using whitelisting to increase compliance and manageability, while protecting their endpoints from spyware, viruses, worms, zero-day threats, botnets, rootkits, vulnerable applications, non-business and/or non-compliant applications, and unlicensed, unknown, or unauthorized applications or devices. To learn more about how whitelists can protect your enterprise, listen to the podcast at: http://www.bit9.com/resources/index.php#podcasts.