Application control includes completeness and validity checks, identification, authentication, authorization, input controls, and forensic controls, among others.
Application controls are a form of security that is designed to improve the quality of the data that is input into a database. An example of an application control is the validity check, which reviews the data entered into a data entry screen to ensure that it meets a set of predetermined range criteria. Or, a completeness check will examine a data entry screen to see if all fields have an entry. An authorization control ensures that only authorized users are gaining access to the database.
- Validity checks: Controls ensure only valid data is input or processed.
- Completeness checks: Controls ensure records processing from initiation to completion.
- Identification: Controls ensure unique, irrefutable identification of all users.
- Authorization: Controls ensure access to the application system by approved business users only.
- Authentication: Controls provide an application system authentication mechanism.
- Forensic controls: Controls ensure scientifically and mathematically correct data, based on inputs and outputs.
- Input controls: Controls ensure data integrity feeds into the application system from upstream sources.
Benefits of Application Control:
- Automatically identify trusted software that has authorization to run.
- Identify and control which applications are in your IT environment and which to add to the IT environment.
- Protect against exploits of unpatched OS and third-party application vulnerabilities.
- Prevent all other, unauthorized applications from executing; they may be malicious, untrusted, or simply unwanted.
- Reduce the risks and costs associated with malware.
- Improve your overall network stability.
- Eliminate unknown and unwanted applications in your network to reduce IT complexity and application risk.
- Identify all applications running within the endpoint environment.