Application control is a cybersecurity measure that regulates which software applications are permitted to install, run, or execute on devices within an organization's IT environment. By enforcing strict policies about authorized software, it significantly reduces the attack surface and provides robust protection against malware, ransomware, and unauthorized programs that could compromise system security or data integrity.

This security control typically operates through two main approaches: blacklisting, which blocks known malicious or unwanted applications, and whitelisting, which only permits explicitly approved software to run while blocking everything else by default. Whitelisting is considered the more secure methodology as it prevents unknown threats, including zero-day exploits. Application control is essential for maintaining operational stability, ensuring regulatory compliance, and establishing a trusted computing environment across endpoints, servers, and connected devices.