Application Characteristics
The system characterizes each application that it detects using the criteria described in the following table. Use these characteristics as application filters.
|
Characteristic |
Description |
Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Type |
Application protocols represent communications between hosts. Clients represent software running on a host. Web applications represent the content or requested URL for HTTP traffic. |
HTTP and SSH are application protocols. Web browsers and email clients are clients. MPEG video and Facebook are web applications. |
|
Risk |
The likelihood that the application is being used for purposes that might be against your organization’s security policy. |
Peer-to-peer applications tend to have a very high risk. |
|
Business Relevance |
The likelihood that the application is being used within the context of your organization’s business operations, as opposed to recreationally. |
Gaming applications tend to have a very low business relevance. |
|
Category |
A general classification for the application that describes its most essential function. Each application belongs to at least one category. |
Facebook is in the social networking category. |
|
Tag |
Additional information about the application. Applications can have any number of tags, including none. |
Video streaming web applications often are tagged high bandwidth and displays ads. |