Strengthening Cybersecurity in Local Government: Why Application Allowlisting Matters

Local governments are increasingly finding themselves in the crosshairs of cybercriminals. From ransomware shutting down emergency dispatch systems to malware compromising public utilities, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Yet, many county IT teams, municipal CIOs, and public sector cybersecurity advisors continue to battle these threats with limited resources, outdated infrastructure, and complex networks.

So, how can local governments strengthen their defenses without overwhelming their staff or budgets? One powerful yet underutilized solution is application allowlisting — a proactive security approach that shifts defense from reactive to preventive.

This blog post explores key insights from PC Matic’s whitepaper Strengthening Cybersecurity in Local Government and explains why allowlisting should be part of every local agency’s cybersecurity strategy.

The Cybersecurity Challenge for Local Governments

Cyberattacks against local governments have been on the rise for years. Headlines regularly feature stories of:

• Ransomware shutting down 911 call centers and police networks
• Phishing campaigns leading to data theft in county offices
• Malware targeting water treatment plants, election systems, and financial departments

The problem isn’t a lack of awareness — it’s that many agencies are stretched thin. IT teams are small, infrastructure is often outdated, and security budgets lag far behind those of larger enterprises.

Traditional tools like antivirus or endpoint detection and response (EDR) provide some defense but often rely on catching threats after they’ve already entered the system. For governments with critical services on the line, that’s not good enough.

What Is Application Allowlisting?

Application allowlisting flips the script on traditional antivirus.

Instead of trying to detect and block every possible threat, allowlisting uses a default deny model. That means only explicitly approved applications, processes, or scripts are allowed to run. If it’s not on the allowlist, it doesn’t execute — period.

Here’s how it compares to antivirus:

Feature	Traditional Antivirus	Application Allowlisting
Approach	Reactive: detects/block known threats	Proactive: deny-by-default
Zero-Day Protection	Limited	High
Signature-Based	Yes	No
Legacy/OT Compatibility	Often limited	Strong
Reliance on Heuristics	High	None (policy-based)

The beauty of allowlisting is its simplicity: if the software isn’t approved, it can’t run. That means ransomware, malware, or unauthorized tools are stopped before they cause damage.

Why Local Governments Need Proactive Protection

Allowlisting is particularly effective for local governments because it addresses their biggest challenges:

• Stopping ransomware and malware at the point of execution — even if delivered via phishing or USB drives.
• Preventing lateral movement within networks, limiting damage if attackers gain an initial foothold.
• Blocking unauthorized tools like PowerShell abuse, Cobalt Strike, or remote access trojans.
• Protecting legacy and unsupported systems where modern AV or EDR can’t be deployed.

In short, allowlisting reduces the attack surface and gives local governments control over what’s running on their networks.

Aligning with Zero Trust Architecture

Zero Trust has become the gold standard for modern cybersecurity, and allowlisting naturally aligns with its principles:

• Least Privilege: Only pre-approved software and processes can run.
• Continuous Validation: Every execution request is checked against policy.
• Microsegmentation: Limits lateral movement by restricting which tools/processes can be used.
• Asset & Workload Security: Blocks unknown applications, even on unmanaged devices.

For local governments looking to adopt Zero Trust without massive budgets or enterprise-scale tools, allowlisting offers a practical path forward.

Compliance and Federal Guidance

Another reason allowlisting is gaining momentum: it’s directly recommended by leading cybersecurity frameworks and federal guidelines.

• CISA Cybersecurity Performance Goals: Goal 2.3 calls for application allowlisting or equivalent controls.
• NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 & NIST 800-171: Require deny-all, permit-by-exception execution controls.
• CJIS Security Policy: Specifies execution control for protecting criminal justice information.
• MS-ISAC Ransomware Guides: Encourage allowlisting to secure legacy and OT systems.

By adopting allowlisting, local governments not only strengthen their defenses but also move closer to compliance with federal standards.

Addressing Common Concerns

Some agencies hesitate to adopt allowlisting because they believe it’s too rigid or hard to manage. But modern solutions, like PC Matic’s, make the process far more flexible:

• “Too hard to manage” → Cloud-managed tools with automatic policy generation reduce manual work.
• “What about updates or new installs?” → Exceptions can be approved by IT, scoped by user, time, or hash, and fully auditable.
• “Doesn’t work in dynamic environments” → Cloud integrations adapt policies using APIs, role-based rules, and network-aware controls.

In other words, allowlisting today isn’t about locking systems down — it’s about controlling them intelligently.

Integrating with Existing Security Stacks

Most local agencies already use antivirus, firewalls, SIEM, or MFA solutions. Allowlisting doesn’t replace these tools — it strengthens them.

• Works as a frontline barrier before EDR detects threats
• Feeds event logs into SIEM for anomaly correlation
• Provides a last line of defense if perimeter defenses fail

Best practice: start by deploying allowlisting on high-risk endpoints such as OT systems, election infrastructure, and administrative terminals, then expand organization-wide.

Practical Recommendations for Local Agencies

For governments ready to act, here are five steps to get started with allowlisting:

1. Prioritize critical systems — especially legacy, OT, and public safety networks.
2. Align policies with NIST and CISA guidelines.
3. Leverage cloud-managed tools for easier administration across distributed teams.
4. Train IT staff on exception workflows and audit trails.
5. Engage with peer networks like MS-ISAC or state cyber task forces for support and funding opportunities.

How PC Matic Supports Local Governments

PC Matic has built its allowlisting solution specifically with local governments in mind.

Key benefits include:

• Default-Deny Protection: Blocks ransomware and unauthorized apps before they execute.
• Centralized Management: Cloud-based console for managing policies across departments and remote teams.
• Automated Policy Generation: Simplifies setup by analyzing known-good applications.
• Legacy System Support: Compatible with Windows 7 and later, ideal for public infrastructure.
• Lightweight Deployment: Works alongside existing AV or EDR tools without slowing performance.
• Compliance Alignment: Helps agencies meet CISA, NIST, and CJIS requirements.

And, importantly, PC Matic is made in the USA — trusted by public sector organizations across the country.

Conclusion: Building Resilience for the Future

Cybersecurity for local governments is no longer optional — it’s mission-critical. With limited resources and high-impact targets, agencies can’t afford to rely solely on reactive defenses.

Application allowlisting offers a proactive, cost-effective, and Zero Trust-aligned solution for securing critical infrastructure, protecting sensitive data, and maintaining public trust.

With solutions like PC Matic, local governments can simplify security, block unknown threats, and strengthen resilience — without needing enterprise-level resources.