• Building a positive security model with application control takes more than tech—it needs skilled people and efficient processes.
• With the right application control solution, you can move at your own pace and strengthen your security posture one step at a time.
• The payoff is worth the shift: tighter protection, greater efficiency, and legendary resilience that lasts. 

Threat actors are embarking on what seems to be their own Amazing Race. If you’re still relying on traditional antivirus (AV) alone to hold the line, you might as well be locking your doors while handing out spare keys to random passersby.

With a positive security model, you decide who’s allowed in and everyone else gets stopped at the door. This default-deny approach isn’t new to application control—and denying access by default is a key tenet of Zero Trust strategies—yet fear of a perceived heavy lift, extra people power, or the risk of blocking critical applications still scares off the organizations who need it the most. 

But implementation doesn’t have to derail operations, overwhelm teams, or shut down the apps your business needs. It sounds too good to be true, but the most effective solutions start protecting your business from the get-go, even with gradual adoption.

Take it from the pioneers of application control—with these best practices, you’ll be in for a smooth ride:

1. Prepare employees for a culture shift

Software run denied—without warning? Houston, we have a problem. 

Before rolling out a positive security model, it’s mission-critical to prep your people. Let your teams know the way your organization thinks about security is evolving and emphasize the long-term benefits, like less downtime, fewer breaches, and stronger protection (they’ll thank you for it). 

There may be a pause before end users can press play. Reassure them it’s not about restricting what they run, and that over time, more approvals will be automated. Security works when people understand it, trust it, and stick to it. 

2. Build a strong infrastructure

In a positive security model, infrastructure is your ground crew—they run the pre-launch checks and create a safe environment for your flight. To keep your infrastructure free of gaps, vulnerabilities, and threats, you’ll need granular visibility. Application control solutions work alongside other important protections, such as Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) tools that provide real-time monitoring and recording of what’s being used and by whom. The infrastructure solution will help you maintain a catalog of executable files for every endpoint.  Not only will the granular data help define and fine-tune policies, it’ll make audits a breeze.

3. Break the mold, your way

Every organization runs differently, which means your positive security solution has to fit you—not the other way around. 

Top-tier solutions consider your organization's security and culture, IT operations, and user experience—tailoring configurations  to how your teams actually work. And that kind of alignment pays off: smoother rollout, less friction, and policies that feel natural. 

4. Solve for the last mile, but celebrate your progress

With just a handful of policies, you can cover nearly 90% (or more) of approvals right away. That’s the 80/20 rule in action—when 80% of your results come from 20% of your effort. 

The last mile, that tricky 10%, will take more time and energy. But rest assured, the “easy miles” are leaving you in a far better position than AV alone. Even partial adoption provides expansive protection. Closing the final stretch may need extra planning, but you can rest easy knowing your security stance has already been strengthened. 

5. Manage with metrics

You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Metrics help you answer the tough questions: Which users are hardest to lock down? How long will rollout take? How many incidents will escalate to the SOC after moving to this model? 

Leveraging the data-driven intelligence you already have in your environment turns guesswork into grounded decisions during implementation. With data on performance and risk, you can adapt to change, keep leadership happy with progress reports, and steer your security model like a pro.

6. It takes a team

Positive security isn’t just about a software solution. It’s also about your people. An effective solution automates the bulk of approvals, freeing teams to focus on the rare but high-value exceptions. 

The key is preparing the right people with the right skill sets to handle those rarities. When users understand how to request access, and analysts know how to respond to rare exceptions, adoption feels seamless. Strong teams also plug security into everyday processes—like change control or bringing in new software—so nothing gets lost in translation.

7. Keep learning (it’s a lifelong endeavor)

Threats don’t stand still, and neither should your defenses. Finding a solution that integrates easy continuous learning and automation makes all the difference. When you’re well-equipped, your security will continue to get smarter as your systems and people pick up on patterns. 

Make best practices even better

And even better? The leading application control solutions like Carbon Black App Control keep continuous learning within reach—no coding expertise or senior title required to start automating. 

Put these best practices to use with Carbon Black App Control. Carbon Black App Control builds a foundation of trust by employing a positive security model to protect critical applications and systems, anywhere they live. By allowing only verified applications and processes to run, you eliminate unauthorized changes, strengthen Zero Trust initiatives, and rack up quick wins.

Want to see how Carbon Black App Control delivers? Watch this webinar for an up-close look at positive security in motion.