DNS security firm's AppAware identifies risky apps and helps to subdue them. Credit: Dimitris66 / Getty Images A new list of high-risk applications commonly used in the enterprise and an offering to block their use has been released by a domain name security company. DNSFilter posted the list of more than 100 risky apps to its website February 17. At the same time, it announced AppAware, which gives organizations the power to block the apps and includes high-profile file-sharing, remote desktop, and messaging programs.Among the apps on the list were Facebook Messenger, Slack, Snapchat, RemotePC, TeamViewer, Box, Dropbox, and NordVPN. “We’re trying to shed some light on what is happening on an organization’s network and the devices that its employees are using,” said DNSFilter Product Manager Mikey Pruitt. “Our new feature allows for the discovery of what applications are being used. They could be on a personal device or a network or anything making DNS queries.”70% of all cyberattacks involve the Domain Name SystemIn a news release, DNSFilter said that 70% of all cyberattacks involve the Domain Name system. A single app can use hundreds to thousands of domains. That makes them difficult for security teams to monitor and ripe for exploitation by cyber attackers.With AppAware, the company maintains, security teams can obtain visibility in real-time of application activity across an entire organization and have the power to block applications that don’t align with internal policies. Risky apps or groups of them, along with all their associated domains, can be blocked with a single click. Many of the risky apps identified by DNSFilter are part of a range of software associated with shadow IT. “Shadow IT is becoming more pervasive in the industry, especially with people working remotely,” Pruitt says, “but the applications we’re tackling first are not solely shadow IT. We’re focusing on security applications, applications used in attacks or have accelerated permissions in an environment.”Accept but guide Shadow ITPruitt says that employees or departments turn to shadow IT because they feel it makes them more productive. Meanwhile, IT wants employees to work in a secure manner. “A balance needs to be struck,” he says. “We’re trying to enable the applications necessary to get the job done, while restricting applications or parts of applications that are not necessary.” Charles Betz, a principal analyst, with Forrester Research, maintains that there’s no governance regime that will stop Shadow IT. “The most advisable thing is to accept that shadow IT is a reality and seek to guide it, control it, and direct it, rather than assume you’re going to stop it,” he says. “Big IT shops have been trying to do that for decades, and they’ve failed.” Related content news Multibillion-dollar cybersecurity training market fails to fix the supply-demand imbalance Despite money pouring into programs around the world, training organizations have not managed to ensure employment for professionals, while entry-level professionals are finding it hard to land a job By Samira Sarraf Oct 02, 2023 6 mins CSO and CISO CSO and CISO CSO and CISO news Royal family’s website suffers Russia-linked cyberattack Pro-Russian hacker group KillNet took responsibility for the attack days after King Charles condemned the invasion of Ukraine. By Michael Hill Oct 02, 2023 2 mins DDoS Cyberattacks feature 10 things you should know about navigating the dark web A lot can be found in the shadows of the internet from sensitive stolen data to attack tools for sale, the dark web is a trove of risks for enterprises. Here are a few things to know and navigate safely. By Rosalyn Page Oct 02, 2023 13 mins Cybercrime Security news ShadowSyndicate Cybercrime gang has used 7 ransomware families over the past year Researchers from Group-IB believe it's likely the group is an independent affiliate working for multiple ransomware-as-a-service operations By Lucian Constantin Oct 02, 2023 4 mins Hacker Groups Ransomware Cybercrime Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe