A Proven Control That Too Many MSPs Leave on the Shelf
Few security controls have as much backing as application allowlisting. NIST and CISA recommend it, and frameworks like the CIS Controls treat it as foundational. If only approved software can run, ransomware never gets the chance to launch. Yet many managed service providers still don’t offer it, largely because of what deployment has traditionally demanded of an already stretched team.
Where the Friction Comes From
Many traditional tools begin with a learning mode that monitors each endpoint for days or weeks to record what normally runs. The device isn’t protected during that window, and malware already present can get learned into the baseline. Afterward, someone has to review and approve everything that was captured, device by device and client by client.
The work continues after rollout. Every browser update or line-of-business patch can trigger a block, and each block becomes a ticket. Too many frustrated users, and allowlisting gets switched off or never deployed at all.
Allowlisting That Works Out of the Box
PC Matic removes that friction at the source. Instead of asking each endpoint to learn what’s safe, PC Matic MSP starts with a global allowlist of more than 22 billion verified files and processes, spanning applications, digital certificates, and scripts.
That means no learning mode and no manual list building. Endpoints are protected under default-deny from day one, and PC Matic’s USA-based malware research team continuously analyzes and updates new software definitions, so routine updates don’t become tickets. For custom applications, you can allowlist locally by hash, digital certificate, or script. When an unknown application is blocked, admins are notified and may apply an exception across devices in seconds.
Three Steps to Roll Out Allowlisting Across Your Clients
1. Start with a pilot client
Deploy PC Matic MSP at one client with a typical software footprint and watch the block notifications for the first week. Because the global list already covers common software, most exceptions will be custom or niche applications.
2. Allowlist your own stack once
Add your RMM agent, PSA tools, backup software, and common line-of-business applications as local exceptions, then push that policy to every managed client so new clients start from a ready-made baseline.
3. Define a simple exception workflow
Decide who approves new software, how quickly requests are handled, and how clients submit them. A clear process keeps blocked-application calls fast and predictable.
Strong Prevention Without the Operational Drag
With a global allowlist doing the heavy lifting, application allowlisting becomes practical to deploy and sustainable to manage across every client you serve. Your team gets a preventive layer it can confidently offer, and your clients get protection that stays out of their way.
Learn more about the PC Matic MSP program.
