Application and Transaction controls

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.

Transaction controls