Fixed-function device security
Organizations are often forced to prioritize between security and productivity. Running more applications, even if essential to productivity, ultimately exposes them to a plethora of cyberthreats. Fixed-function devices are immune to this dilemma, as they are mostly required to run only a handful of applications.
ATMs, point of sale machines, payment stations, and other devices used specifically to fulfill a certain purpose fall under this category. Along with needing only specific applications, these devices are usually customer-facing, and require augmented security.
How can application control be used to secure your fixed function device?
ManageEngine Application Control Plus is a comprehensive application control and privilege management solution that focuses on addressing the security needs of your computers and servers. Here are a few best practices Application Control Plus can facilitate that can help safeguard your fixed-function devices:
- In heterogeneous environments, fixed-function devices must seamlessly coexist with other endpoints. Managing multiple device types like this can cause confusion; Application Control Plus aims to overcome this by enabling the creation of targeted policies. Once the agent is installed, you can discover all the fixed-function devices in your organization, group them into a custom group, and map relevant policies exclusively to them.
- By creating trust-centric application allowlists and blocklists using granular rules such as Verified executable or File hash, you can ensure that only authorized and necessary applications run. These policies can be run in Strict Mode to ensure they are impermeable.
- Establish the principle of least privilege by configuring your employees' devices to run with standard user privileges. This way, even if an attack were to occur, its effects will be minimized. Legitimate requests to elevate privileges can be handled using the Endpoint Privilege Management feature, which enables application elevation instead of user elevation.
- Tight security measures, though ideal, can complicate maintenance and update routines. Application Control Plus allows you to quickly switch to Audit Mode during service to prevent any hindrances that might occur due to the strict policies in place. Even in Audit Mode, blocklisted applications will be prohibited from running in order to eliminate the presence of any attack leeway.
Check out Application Control Plus to see all these stellar features and more. Try it free for 30 days!
