Active

Unauthorized Application Detection

The organization shall detect unauthorized applications installed or executed on endpoint devices. Detection shall include scanning of endpoints, identification of unauthorized applications, and investigation of detected applications.

Requirement ID
END-005-R009
Parent Control
Domain Code

Requirement Details & Guidance

END-005-R009 · END-005
Why This Requirement Exists

To ensure unauthorized application detection is consistently implemented and provides the intended security outcome for application control.

Implementation Guidance

Define the required process, scope, roles, and control criteria for unauthorized application detection; implement through approved centralized tooling where practical; document evidence, monitor compliance, and establish remediation and escalation paths.

Practical Application & Audit Readiness

END-005-R009 · Field Guidance

Business Examples

    Common Audit Findings

      Common Mistakes

        Best Practices & Ownership

        END-005 · Recommended Approach

        Recommended Practices

          Typical Owner

          Cross-Mapped Regulatory Frameworks

          Harmonized Control Mappings
          FRAMEWORK CODE FRAMEWORK NAME & DETAILS FAMILY / CATEGORY VERSION ACTION
          CIS-V8 CIS Controls CIS Controls are a prioritized set of cybersecurit... Clause: Control 02 – Inventory and Control of Software Assets: 2.3 – Address Unauthorized Software
          CIS
          Best Practice
          vv8 View →
          COBIT2019 COBIT COBIT is an enterprise governance and management f... Clause: 4.4 – Deliver, Service and Support (DSS) > DSS05 – Managed Security Services > DSS05.03 – Manage endpoint security. 4.4 – Deliver, Service and Support (DSS) > DSS05 – Managed Security Services > DSS05.07 – Manage vulnerabilities and monitor the infrastructure for
          COBIT
          Governance Framework
          v2019 View →
          DORA Digital Operational Resilience Act The EU Digital Operational Resilience Act establis... Clause: Article 9(2) – ICT security policies, procedures, protocols and tools for resilience and data security Article 7 – ICT systems, protocols and tools
          EU
          Regulation
          vCurrent View →
          GDPR General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) The General Data Protection Regulation is a bindin... Clause: Article 32(1)(d) – Testing, assessing and evaluating security measures
          EU
          Regulation
          vCurrent View →
          IRDAI IRDAI Information & Cyber Security Guidelines IRDAI information and cyber-security requirements... Clause: §2.6-3.7 – IT Service Management
          India
          Guideline
          vLatest View →
          ISO27002 ISO/IEC 27002 ISO/IEC 27002 is a guidance standard containing a... Clause: 8.1 – User endpoint devices
          ISO
          Standard
          v2022 View →
          NIS2 NIS2 Directive The NIS2 Directive establishes EU-wide cybersecuri... Clause: Article 21(2)(g) – Basic cyber hygiene practices and cybersecurity training
          EU
          Directive
          vCurrent View →
          NIST-CSF NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) The NIST Cybersecurity Framework provides high-lev... Clause: PR.PS – Platform Security | PR.PS-05 – Installation and execution of unauthorized software are prevented
          NIST
          Framework
          v2 View →
          NIST80053 NIST SP 800-53 NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 presents control families, i... Clause: 3.5 – CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT; CM-7 – LEAST FUNCTIONALITY
          NIST
          Control Catalog
          vRev. 5 View →
          PCI-DSS PCI DSS PCI DSS is an industry security standard maintaine... Clause: 2.2.1 – Configuration standards are developed,; 2.2.6 – System security parameters are configured to
          PCI
          Standard
          v4 View →
          RBI-CSF RBI Cyber Security Framework / Master Directions RBI cyber-security requirements and directions set... Clause: 2) Preventing execution of unauthorised software – 2.1 Authorised/unauthorised software inventory and application whitelisting; 2) Preventing execution of unauthorised software – 2.2 Control/block/identify unauthorised software installation and execution
          India
          Regulation
          vLatest View →
          SEBI-CSCRF SEBI Cyber Security & Cyber Resilience Framework SEBI’s Cybersecurity and Cyber Resilience Framewor... Clause: 4.1 DE.CM: Security Continuous Monitoring
          India
          Regulation
          vLatest View →
          SOC2 SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria SOC 2 is an independent examination and reporting... Clause: CC6.1 – Logical and Physical Access Controls – The entity implements logical access security software, infrastructure, and architectures over protected information assets to protect them from security events to meet the entity's objectives. CC6.8 – Logical and Physical Access Controls – The entity implements controls to prevent or detect and act upon the introduction of unauthorized or malicious software to meet the entity’s objectives. CC7.2 – System Operations – The entity monitors system components and the operation of those components for anomalies that are indicative of malicious acts, natural disasters, and errors affecting the entity's ability to meet its objectives; anomalies are analyzed to determine whether they represent security events.
          AICPA
          Audit Framework
          vLatest View →

          Parent Domain Context

          Governance Domain Baseline
          Domain Name:
          Endpoint Security (END)
          Purpose:
          To protect endpoint devices (laptops, servers, mobile) from threats.
          Scope:
          Enterprise

          Parent Control Context

          Control Baseline
          Control Name:
          Endpoint Application Control (END-005)
          Summary:
          Establishes endpoint application control including approved application management, allowlisting, execution control, exception management, monitoring, and unauthorized application detection.
          Business Description:
          Establish and maintain controls to authorize, restrict, monitor, and manage software execution on endpoint devices.